Kathryn Bigelow's urgent ensemble piece boasts incredible tension while gripping its audience through a singular structure and masterful building of suspense. The director, who also helmed the remarkable The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, gives A House of Dynamite the same sophistication and attention to detail. Rebecca Ferguson provides the audience’s entry point into this bleak and riveting window of time. In a movie that could have come off as cold and procedural, Ferguson’s humanity and gravitas make us feel like we’re in good hands — alongside terrific performances from Idris Elba, Anthony Ramos, and Tracy Letts. The proficiency and cooperation each character demonstrates makes every role distinct and compelling.
The nuances behind this (hopefully forever hypothetical) scenario are deeply compelling. The film’s secret weapon lies in the unity of its stylistic parts — Bigelow’s commanding direction, Barry Ackroyd’s immersive handheld cinematography, Volker Bertelmann’s potent score, and razor-sharp editing. The film maintains both intimacy and scale, often focusing on confined spaces while dealing with events of global consequence. Although the ending stops short of taking a truly terrifying stance in its ambiguity, A House of Dynamite remains an expertly crafted and gripping two hours of cinema that you won’t want to end.
Rating: ★★★★
Review by: Gal Balaban