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bif

(26,381 posts)
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:20 AM Sunday

Did anyone watch "A House of Dynamite"? (Spoiler)

With the actors involved, I had high hopes for it. I thgouth the first part of the movie was thrilling and really well done. But the ending? Or should I say "non-ending" was a huge letdown. What a waste of time. I'm glad I skipped ahead while watching and viewed it at 1.25 speed.

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Did anyone watch "A House of Dynamite"? (Spoiler) (Original Post) bif Sunday OP
I just finished it. It was just ok but could have been sooo much better TommieMommy Sunday #1
The movie sucked badgolfer Sunday #2
The first half was pretty thrilling. But the last half was just a replay of the same doc03 Sunday #3
Haven't watched it but I read a lot of reviews that said the same thing - Ocelot II Sunday #4
May I suggest bif Sunday #6
My wife and I loved it. NewHendoLib Sunday #5
Agreed splano Sunday #7
Yes, watched it! KT2000 Sunday #8
I could have easily handled two replays, but Ilsa Yesterday #9
I decided to skip it based on reviews. Sounds like a turkey. beaglelover Yesterday #10

badgolfer

(288 posts)
2. The movie sucked
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:54 AM
Sunday

I skimmed through most of the movie. What a waste as the movie could have been done in half the time.

If this is an example of the U.S. National Security system, this country is in a world of hurt.

doc03

(38,562 posts)
3. The first half was pretty thrilling. But the last half was just a replay of the same
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 09:58 AM
Sunday

few minutes of the countdown in the first half. It was like someone burned the script in the middle of the movie.

Ocelot II

(127,987 posts)
4. Haven't watched it but I read a lot of reviews that said the same thing -
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 10:02 AM
Sunday

that the ending was really unsatisfactory. Maybe I'll skip it.

bif

(26,381 posts)
6. May I suggest
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 11:28 AM
Sunday

The film is broken up into thirds. The same occurrence told from three perspectives. Watch the first one and you'll get the idea. The rest is pretty redundant.

splano

(18 posts)
7. Agreed
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 03:34 PM
Sunday

I believe the general consensus is that the first 1/3 was great; The pacing and the acting was on point.

The back 2/3 was a disappointing slog, a seemingly endless amount of shots of actors staring at various screens with a “F*ck! What do we do?” look on their faces.

KT2000

(21,779 posts)
8. Yes, watched it!
Sun Oct 26, 2025, 05:56 PM
Sunday

As a person who has had lifelong effects from the Cold WA (we lived next to a potential target, Boeing) I initially saw this film as a Cold War nightmare.
As it kept replaying, I saw Hegseth, Noem, and all the other administration idiots in those places and our assured demise. At least during the Cold War I was assured there were serious. level-headed people in charge.
The only sympathy I felt in the film was when the Secretary chose not to get on the helicopter because that is the choice everyone is faced with and his was a valid option. Many of us came out of that time with an understanding that life is conditional.

I was curious why the film was made thinking it had to have been someone who experienced the Cold War but it was written by a 40-something ex-NBC News boss. Kathryn Bigelow was of the age to have experienced the Cold War and Travis Air Force Base was near where she grew up. It would be nice to hear her personal experience.

The glaring fault of the story was the omission of waiting until the bomb hit the US and then deciding.

The film affected me emotionally due to our Cold War past and now I have to realize that the people in charge of our country are incapable of handling something like this. Nothing will help us. Also, I realized young people do not have personal experience with the end of civilization as we did - now it is just trump pulling the levers.

As a film though, I did not like the clunky replaying of the same discussions. There are so many devices that could have shown it differently.

Ilsa

(63,533 posts)
9. I could have easily handled two replays, but
Mon Oct 27, 2025, 12:53 AM
Yesterday

the third got on my nerves, even though we got to see other stuff unrelated to the National Security Council briefing. Stuff like the deputy NSA's pregnant wife working for the senator who bolted out of a hearing and ignored her as he was leaving for Raven Rock. Or the SecDef checking out.

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