Some film premises are so compelling that they’re revisited time and again. Think “boy meets girl” or “rags to riches.” Another incredibly enduring one is the nuclear doomsday scenario: a nuclear holocaust has been triggered, and we may or may not understand why, or have any power to stop it.
This gripping premise forms the core of Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film, “A House of Dynamite,” streaming on Netflix. The movie taps into a chilling reality: the era of relative peace, at least concerning nuclear anxieties post-Cold War, is over. A ballistic missile is headed for Chicago. What now?
“A House of Dynamite” is an intensely researched, almost unbearably tense thriller that gradually evolves into a profound character study. It explores how individuals in public service grapple with their duties when faced with the imminent end of the world.
This thriller belongs to a long and distinguished lineage of Hollywood films born from the fear of nuclear war. Perhaps it’s the impossibly high stakes that fuel a sense of frantic madness, leading these films to span various genres, from dark farce and comedy to gripping drama. Many of them wrestle with universal, agonizing questions: Is sacrificing some lives justifiable to save more? Should we retaliate first, or wait to understand what’s happening? Who can truly be trusted?
These stories consistently succeed at feature-film length for a singular reason: the relentless ticking clock of an approaching missile provides the ultimate plot device. Time is quite literally running out. Let’s explore some of the most memorable films in this category.
‘Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb’
While this classic might technically deviate from the mold — it’s about preventing a deranged Air Force General from launching an attack on the Soviet Union, rather than reacting to one — no list of nuclear films is complete without Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 darkly satirical masterpiece. Beyond iconic lines like “Gentlemen! You can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”, it shrewdly exposes how the insecurities, powerlessness, and monstrous egos of leaders can lead to global annihilation, famously using explicit phallic imagery to make its point.
(Available to buy or rent on major platforms.)
‘Fail Safe’
Released the same year as “Dr. Strangelove,” Sidney Lumet’s “Fail Safe” offers a starkly different tone, yet draws from the identical wellspring of nuclear-age dread. (Its plot was so similar to the novel “Dr. Strangelove” was based on that Kubrick sued, ensuring his film was released first.) “Fail Safe” stars Henry Fonda as a president forced to make an unthinkable choice when human error brings the U.S. and Soviet Union to the precipice of nuclear war. Like Kubrick’s film, its central conflict revolves around characters with fundamentally opposing philosophical views on the best course of action.
A concluding message assures viewers that “it is the stated position of the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force that a rigidly enforced system of safeguards and controls insure that occurrences such as those depicted in this story cannot happen” — a reassurance that does little to ease the lingering chill down your spine.
(Available to buy or rent on major platforms.)
‘WarGames’
Oops! In John Badham’s “WarGames” (1983), a teenage hacker (Matthew Broderick) nearly wipes out humanity when he inadvertently breaches a military supercomputer, accidentally triggering a false alarm of global thermonuclear war while thinking he’s just playing a game. This blend of thriller and comedy was one of the first popular culture depictions of remote computing. Once again, it brings vital questions about the wisest response into sharp conflict.
When President Ronald Reagan watched the movie, it profoundly captured his imagination. He discussed it with his advisers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and members of Congress, questioning if such a scenario was truly possible. The answer: technically, yes. Fifteen months later, he signed the first classified national security decision directive. Who says movies are just entertainment?
(Available to buy or rent on major platforms.)
‘The Day After’
As its title suggests, much of “The Day After” (1983) focuses on the devastating aftermath of a nuclear detonation, venturing into dystopian horror. However, its initial segments build incredible tension as Americans learn of an invasion and, eventually, incoming missiles. The movie, which aired on ABC on November 20, 1983, was watched by nearly 100 million people — approximately 67 percent of the American viewing public that night.
This film also had a direct impact on public policy. It’s widely credited with moderating Reagan’s stance on nuclear weapons, and in his memoirs, he noted that the movie influenced his decision to sign the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which mandated reductions in U.S. and Soviet nuclear arsenals. For many viewers, the experience of watching the film remained unforgettable.
(Not currently streaming on major U.S. platforms, but sometimes segments are uploaded to video sites.)
‘Miracle Mile’ (1988)
Even as the world faces oblivion, there’s still room for romance, however bleak. Steve De Jarnatt’s “Miracle Mile” (1988) stars Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham as Harry and Julie, a pair of star-crossed lovers. They meet by chance and fall instantly in love, planning to meet later that night. But Harry’s alarm fails, and when he tries to call Julie, he overhears a terrifying message: nuclear war will erupt in 70 minutes.
“Miracle Mile” unfolds far from the corridors of power, primarily set in the Los Angeles neighborhood it’s named after. It largely depicts ordinary people grappling with the news of the world’s end, and it offers little optimism about human nature. This story is destined for tragedy: an epic love affair compressed into barely more than an hour. Yet, that’s precisely the perfect canvas for such a grand passion.
(Available to buy or rent on major platforms.)
‘Crimson Tide’
Perhaps the nuclear film most akin to “A House of Dynamite” in its intense tone is Tony Scott’s “Crimson Tide,” a 1995 submarine action thriller starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. The plot, loosely inspired by real events during the Cuban Missile Crisis, pits a strong-willed, veteran Navy submarine captain against his more rational but less-experienced second-in-command. Their mission: to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against a Russian ultranationalist rebel if he fuels his missiles.
“Crimson Tide” is a fast-paced and exhilarating film, often claustrophobically tense due to its confinement within a submarine. Questions of ethics, morals, intuition versus logic, and right versus wrong are all at stake, with split-second decisions carrying immense consequences. The outcomes, one might say, are truly explosive.
(Available to buy or rent on major platforms.)