A House of Dynamite Ending Explained: How Did the US President Respond?

Netflix recently released A House of Dynamite, leaving fans with questions regarding its tense ending. The gripping political thriller follows the US government deciding on a response as the nation faces a nuclear threat from an unknown attacker. The movie features a stellar cast including Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, and Tracy Letts.

Did the US President retaliate with nuclear strikes in A House of Dynamite’s ending?

A House of Dynamite does not show the US President’s final decision at the end of the movie.

Throughout the course of the film, the US government officials are grappling with the difficult choice of how to react to the anonymous and unexpected nuclear threat. Over three scenarios narrated across the film, we see the different military and administrative officials try to decide on the best course of action.

The first scenario ends with NORTHCOM failing to intercept the Chicago-bound nuclear missile with the ground-based interceptors (GBI). The devastating outcome leads everyone to prepare for the inevitable catastrophe, while the President is advised not to be hasty with his reaction, as the attack remains anonymous.

The second scenario sees senior military officer General Anthony Brady and Deputy National Security Advisor Jake Baerington present two opposing retaliation options to the POTUS. While Brady advises the President to attack all possible perpetrators, Baerington asks him to hold his ground, as no one has identified the missile’s origin yet.

Finally, the third scenario concludes on a poignant note when the POTUS and the government officials realize that there is nothing to be done. The incoming nuclear missile will inevitably lead to catastrophic casualties in the nation. The movie does not show the final decision of the POTUS and whether he chooses to retaliate with nuclear strikes. Neither do we learn who launched the initial attack.

Referring to this ambiguity, the film’s screenwriter Noah Oppenheim said, “That is the point we wanted to make, which is that even in the best-case scenario, if you had a president who is thoughtful, responsible, informed, deliberative—to ask someone, anyone, to make a decision about the fate of all mankind in a matter of minutes while he’s running for his life simultaneously is insane” (via Deadline).

Source: Comingsoon.net