Kathryn Bigelow, the visionary director of ‘A House of Dynamite,’ takes us on an exclusive journey through one of her film’s most nerve-wracking sequences. We begin with Deputy National Security Adviser Jake Baerington, portrayed by Gabriel Basso, who is in a frantic race against time. He’s just received critical intelligence: a nuclear ICBM is hurtling towards North America.
His urgent attempts to communicate with General Stratcom, played by Tracy Letts, immediately highlight a tense philosophical divide. The General advocates for an aggressive move to DEFCON 2, warning of a potential ‘spiral of alerts.’ In stark contrast, Baerington pushes for a more cautious, analytical approach, urging a pause before any drastic actions are taken. Their exchange perfectly encapsulates the high-pressure decision-making at play in such a dire scenario.
Bigelow elaborates on the meticulous craftsmanship required to bring Baerington’s desperate journey to life on screen. To create a seamless, fluid movement from one location to the next, numerous sets were meticulously constructed. This included a custom-built security kiosk, a detailed White House briefing room, and a separate White House Situation Room set built in another part of the studio. For exterior shots, the production team ingeniously utilized a golf museum, chosen for its architectural resemblance to the White House, ensuring a smooth transition between these diverse environments.
Intercut with Baerington’s frantic dash, we witness the Strategic Command (Stratcom) operations in Omaha, Nebraska – the very heart of America’s nuclear defense. Here, the General delivers his grim assessment as the ICBM’s inclination flattens, confirming it’s not a drill but a missile irrevocably on course for impact within the continental United States. The moment is charged with urgency as various options and trajectories are explored.
The film’s commitment to realism is truly astounding. Bigelow reveals that scenes depicting B-2 bombers, capable of carrying nuclear warheads (a method of potential retaliation), were also meticulously staged. The production team commandeered three stages at a New Jersey studio, Cinelease, transforming each into a distinct location: Fort Greely interior, Stratcom interior, and the White House Situation Room interior. Production designer Jeremy Hindle’s brilliance shines through in his astonishingly accurate replications. Bigelow recounts how brief, no-photo visits to the actual White House Situation Room and Stratcom allowed Hindle to create sets so convincing that military personnel familiar with the real locations genuinely believed the film had shot on-site.
The teleconference calls were executed as live, almost theatrical, performances. Actors in separate sets communicated in real-time, providing immediate and authentic reactions that profoundly aided the performances. This dedication to immersion pays off, amplifying the palpable tension. The stark reality of their predicament is driven home by a chilling statistic: the mid-course intercept system boasts only a 61% success rate. As one character grimly notes, they are literally ‘hitting a bullet with a bullet,’ underscoring the monumental risks involved in this perilous situation.