BRIAN VINER reviews A House Of Dynamite: Breathlessly pacy countdown to… NUCLEAR OBLIVION

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Verdict: Explosive thriller 

Let’s consider a scenario: What would the United States do if a nuclear missile were heading towards Chicago, giving us less than 20 minutes to react? This question explores the potential response to a nuclear attack under extremely time-critical circumstances. It asks us to think through the actions the US might take with such limited warning. This is a hypothetical situation, of course, but it’s important to consider the possibilities.

Despite having access to advanced satellite technology, military intelligence leaders don’t know who launched the missile, only that it started its potentially devastating flight somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

That’s the strikingly believable crisis that forms the core of Kathryn Bigelow’s fast-moving thriller, A House Of Dynamite.

Kathryn Bigelow made history as the first woman to win the Best Director award at the Academy Awards, receiving the honor for her 2008 action thriller, The Hurt Locker.

She remains (along with Chloe Zhao and Jane Campion) one of just three women to have ever received this prestigious award, and I think she has a strong chance of being the first to win it twice with this captivating movie. The film is structured in three parts, with each section telling the same story from a unique viewpoint.

The US President (Idris Elba) doesn’t appear until the third act. Following a cheerful school visit – a scene reminiscent of when George W Bush was informed about the 9/11 attacks – he’s quickly rushed away and must decide how to respond before Chicago is destroyed.

But retaliate against who? China? Russia? North Korea? Iran? All the above?

Russia acknowledges knowing about the missile, but denies any involvement. They suggest it could have been launched unintentionally, a possibility explored in a compelling film from the Cold War era, Fail Safe, a 1964 thriller directed by Sidney Lumet.

Now, as then, the world teeters on the brink of disaster.

If the missile explodes, approximately ten million people will perish in Chicago. If the President authorizes the use of nuclear weapons, hundreds of millions more globally could die.

They are delivered by a young and optimistic soldier (Jonah Hauer-King) who helps his commander decide how strongly to react to different situations. The President jokes, ‘It’s like choosing from a diner menu,’ showing a dark sense of humour.

Bigelow’s film brilliantly captures the intense pressure and difficult choices that a truly agonizing situation can create. It vividly portrays the heat of the moment and the challenging process of reaching a decision when faced with such a difficult dilemma.

The President receives advice that often clashes, and it feels undeniably real. On one side, there’s a determined army general (Tracy Letts) who strongly urges a swift response, fearing delay will be disastrous. On the other, a surprisingly young Deputy National Security Advisor (Gabriel Basso) argues for caution and restraint.

The screenplay is exceptionally well-written, crafted by Noah Oppenheim, who previously led NBC News as its president. He likely used his connections within the White House to gain valuable insights for the story.

It’s praiseworthy that he and Bigelow treat their viewers with respect, creating a viewing experience that feels similar to an extended episode of The West Wing.

While I really enjoyed Aaron Sorkin’s popular TV show, its dialogue felt fast-paced and superficial, something you won’t find here. Everyone in this thrilling story is too focused on what’s happening to be witty or make clever remarks.

Also, like all the scariest white-knuckle rides, it doesn’t last too long. 

Bigelow smartly keeps her movie concise, lasting under two hours, and avoids oversharing details about her characters’ personal backgrounds.

Rather, we only gain a limited understanding. The leader of a military installation in Alaska (Anthony Ramos) is experiencing personal problems at home.

Oh my gosh, Captain Olivia Walker (played by the incredible Rebecca Ferguson!) is just… everything. I mean, she’s this total badass who’s completely in charge in the White House Situation Room, but she’s also a devoted wife and mother? Seriously, how does she do it all?! It’s just… *perfect*. I’m completely obsessed with her character! #obsessed

Meanwhile, a leading North Korea specialist (Greta Lee) is enjoying a day off with her son at a reenactment of the American Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg. She politely corrects him when he describes the event as ‘awesome’.

She points out that around 50,000 soldiers were killed at Gettysburg over three days. This is the only awkward sentence in the whole movie. The intention is obviously to draw a parallel between the scale of casualties considered massive during wartime then, and how we view them today.

We also have Defence Secretary Reid Baker (Jared Harris), who is somewhat distant from his adult daughter, who currently lives in Chicago. She is in potential danger and could be destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Interestingly, Harris also appeared in Chernobyl, the critically acclaimed 2019 television series that depicted the real-life story of a nuclear catastrophe.

This can be seen as a related work, focusing on a nuclear disaster that, thankfully, hasn’t occurred in reality yet.

But Bigelow’s message is plain. We all live in a house filled with dynamite. So it might yet.

Verdict: Packs a big punch

One man’s sporting career is on the line in The Smashing Machine, rather than millions of lives. 

However, the movie remains powerfully impactful-and it’s compelling on multiple levels. It’s based on the real-life story of Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson), a mixed martial arts fighter, and covers a three-year period from 1997.

Kerr was among the first fighters in mixed martial arts, back when the sport was primarily popular in Japan. He’s a large man who acts immaturely, and is so afraid of losing that he’ll do almost anything to avoid it – even resorting to steroids, much to the distress of his overly-polished partner, Dawn (Emily Blunt).

‘You lost a fight, big deal, just get over it,’ she implores. His response is to destroy a door.

Benny Safdie’s film isn’t really about the sport itself; instead, it’s a captivating and personal look at a couple’s relationship. While the film features excellent performances from many actors – including professional boxer Oleksandr Usyk, the world heavyweight champion – the story truly depends on the chemistry between its two main stars.

Johnson and Blunt previously starred together in Disney’s 2021 action comedy, Jungle Cruise, and had great chemistry. However, this new project is quite different.

We haven’t seen Johnson play a character like this before, and he delivers a truly impressive performance. It’s a new style for him, even featuring a different hairstyle to match the role. He rises to the challenge magnificently.

Both films are in cinemas now.

 

Fine singers, but this Cinders is anything but charming

Cinderella (English National Opera)

Verdict: Three splendid voices, too much clutter

This silly production takes us back to the days when companies routinely mucked about with Rossini. 

Honestly, I’m just so relieved we don’t have to sit through endless juggling acts or, ugh, people swallowing fire! But it’s infuriating – can’t *anyone* sing a single aria without the entire audience turning into a sea of bobbing heads? It’s like, let me just *hear* the music, please! It’s driving me crazy! I’m totally obsessed with the music, not the synchronized swaying!

As the play begins – even though we’ve already sat through unnecessary scenes during the Overture – the unsettling truth is revealed: The set is filled with doors! A lift endlessly goes up and down!! And there are rotating panels on either side!!! The stage quickly becomes populated with questionable characters.

Christopher Cowell’s English ‘translation’ is jarring, ranging from awkward phrasing to outright vulgarity. When you hear lines like ‘I love to vibe the night away’ or ‘Get your arse out of the way’, it becomes clear how far this version is from the elegance of the Bel Canto era.

Director Julia Burbach has a mysterious figure-a Woman In Green-present on set. This figure either assists with the mechanics of filming, like moving equipment, or playfully obstructs the process. It’s a refreshing departure from the typical Symbolic Old Lady trope often seen in films.

However, we *do* receive Symbolic Child figures representing Cinderella’s family. It seems the mice are included as a reference to Charles Perrault’s initial story.

Three remarkably talented young singers nearly steal the show. Deepa Johnny, a mezzo-soprano originally from Oman, delivers a heartfelt performance as Cinderella, skillfully handling all of the challenging vocal runs Rossini demands.

British tenor Aaron Godfrey-Mayes, performing as Prince Ramiro, possesses a beautiful, flowing vocal style and excellent technical skill.

Charles Rice, playing Dandini – the Prince’s valet who cleverly disguises himself to assess potential partners – brings a charming personality to the role. He performs this important character with humour, singing with both clarity and skill.

Simon Bailey doesn’t quite have the rich, full vocal quality – the basso buffo sound – that’s really needed to convincingly portray Cinderella’s cruel stepfather.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is the portrayal of Alidoro, who is meant to be a comforting, human presence in Cinderella’s story. David Ireland plays him as a businessman in a suit, which diminishes his importance. Specifically, the impactful scene where he first appears disguised as a delivery person bringing packages to Cinderella’s sisters is overshadowed and feels less significant.

When considering opera singers famous for playing the comedic sisters Clorinda and Tisbe, Isabelle Peters and Grace Durham don’t really stand out as particularly funny. They don’t generate much laughter compared to others who have played these roles.

Yi-Chen Lin leads the performance with energy and enthusiasm, even though the complex and challenging music creates difficulties for the musicians. The orchestra performs skillfully, and the male chorus, including members who perform in drag, handles their roles competently. Despite the script’s complications, they manage to deliver a solid performance. More details are available online.

It’s worth noting that the first-night audience loved it much more than I did.

At London Coliseum until October 14.

 

The homeless beggar you’ll be rooting for

At under 30 years old, Harris Dickinson is already a successful actor, and he’s landed the role of John Lennon in Sam Mendes’s highly anticipated four-part film about The Beatles.

However, there’s more to Dickinson than just his rhythm guitar playing. His first work as a writer and director, which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was rightfully praised.

Frank Dillane gives a fantastic performance as Mike (right), a man living on the streets of London. Mike struggles with begging and stealing, and repeatedly misses opportunities to improve his life. However, the skillful writing and Dillane’s acting are so compelling that we find ourselves hoping he’ll finally get a break.

There’s a particularly moving moment where he feels obligated to find the stranger he attempted to assist, who was then robbed as a consequence of their kindness.

A film full of heart, this is a hugely promising debut.

In select cinemas now.

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2025-10-03 02:07