‘A House Of Dynamite’ Explosive Ending Explained—Did The Missile Hit Chicago?

Core Insights - Netflix's new film "A House of Dynamite" is a doomsday thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow, focusing on the U.S. government's response to an escalating missile threat [3][22] - The film is structured in three parts, each presenting different perspectives of government officials as they deal with the missile crisis [2][8] Summary by Sections Part 1: Initial Threat Detection - The film begins with a warning that the era of reduced nuclear weapons is over, setting a tense atmosphere [4] - At 9:30 a.m. ET, the Sea-Based X-Band Radar detects an unidentified missile, initially thought to be a North Korean test, but its trajectory indicates an imminent impact in the Midwest with only 19 minutes to respond [5][6] - The President joins a national security conference call, and as Ground-Based Interceptors are launched, one fails to deploy and the other misses, raising the DEFCON level to 1, indicating a high state of military readiness [6][7] Part 2: Perspectives of National Security Officials - The second part restarts the day, showing the crisis from the viewpoints of various officials, including military generals and the Deputy National Security Advisor [8][9] - There is growing suspicion that North Korea or Russia may be behind the missile launch, with military officials considering the strike as a test of U.S. response capabilities [9][10] - North Korean NSA expert Ana Park reveals that North Korea has developed a sea-based launch capability, using it as leverage for self-preservation [11] Part 3: The President's Dilemma - The final part presents the day from the President's perspective, who is informed of the missile threat while attending a public event [14][15] - Secretary of Defense Baker learns that his daughter is in the blast zone, leading to a tragic decision as he takes his own life [16][17] - The President faces the decision of whether to retaliate, with the potential for millions of lives at stake, but the film cuts to black before revealing his final orders [18][21] Ending and Themes - The film concludes without showing the missile's impact on Chicago, leaving the audience to ponder the consequences of nuclear warfare [21][22] - Bigelow emphasizes the film's unresolved ending as a prompt for discussion about nuclear weapons and the power dynamics involved in such decisions [22][23] - Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim highlights the moral implications of one individual having the power to decide the fate of humanity in a crisis [23]