Pentagon decries Netflix thriller ‘A House of Dynamite’ over missile defense depiction
The Pentagon has expressed concern over Kathryn Bigelow’s new Netflix film, A House of Dynamite, citing inaccuracies in its portrayal of the U.S. missile defense system.
The thriller follows 18 tense minutes after a nuclear missile is launched at the U.S., showing officials scrambling to identify the threat and respond, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
In one scene, the defense secretary, played by Jared Harris, claims current missile defenses have only a 50% chance of intercepting a missile, despite costing $50 billion. An internal Missile Defense Agency (MDA) memo obtained by Bloomberg disputes this, noting that modern interceptors have achieved 100% accuracy in tests for more than a decade.
The film also shows a deputy national security adviser, portrayed by Gabriel Basso, citing a 61% success rate. Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim explained the figure comes from controlled tests under ideal conditions, emphasizing that only a limited number of interceptors are in the U.S. arsenal.
The Pentagon said it was not consulted on the movie and stressed that it “does not reflect the views or priorities of this administration.” The agency highlighted that missile defense remains a critical part of national security.
Bigelow defended her approach, telling CBS that while she didn’t consult the Pentagon directly, she relied on multiple tech advisers with Pentagon experience during filming.
Released on Netflix after a limited theatrical run, A House of Dynamite has drawn mixed audience reactions but holds a 79% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
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