Did the Pentagon criticise A House of Dynamite? Alleged inaccuracy of the film, explained

Yes, Kathryn Bigelow’s nuclear thriller, A House of Dynamite, ignited a public criticizm with the Pentagon over the accuracy of its terrifying premise. The film chronicles an urgent, 18-minute crisis as the US government races to respond to a single, unknown nuclear missile heading straight for Chicago.

The central controversy revolves around the film's portrayal of the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) missile defense system. In the movie, the multi-billion-dollar system fails to intercept the warhead and is stated to have a low success rate of around 50-60%.

The Department of Defense's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) publicly criticized this portrayal in A House of Dynamite. They claimed that its real-world interceptors have a near 100% accuracy rate in testing and that the film "underestimates US power."

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Pentagon slams Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite for inaccurate depiction of U.S. Missile defenses

The Pentagon recently criticized A House of Dynamite over its alleged technical inaccuracies. Structured in three tense chapters, the story focuses on officials in the White House Situation Room, the Pentagon, and the President, who must quickly decide whether to retaliate and risk global thermonuclear war.

The core of the military's complaint was the film's depiction of the US Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) system, which shows a success rate between 50% and 61% in the film. The Pentagon countered that its interceptors have demonstrated a 100% accuracy rate in testing for over a decade. In an interview with Deadline, which was published on October 28, 2025, a military official stated:

“The numbers tell us what is occurring and we need to know. The results are very very good, with the program scheduled to grow over the next decade.”

The internal memorandum from the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency (MDA), obtained by Bloomberg on October 16, acknowledged that the film helps highlight the need for a missile defense system by showing how deterrence can fail. However, the agency quickly shifted to criticizing the movie's depiction of US capabilities. The memo reportedly read:

“The fictional interceptors in the movie miss their target, and we understand this is intended to be a compelling part of the drama intended for the entertainment of the audience,” but results from real-world testing “tell a vastly different story,”

The filmmakers of A House of Dynamite, however, have stood by their research, with writer Noah Oppenheim stating he "respectfully disagree[s]" and that their portrayal of the system as "highly imperfect" is accurate based on conversations with experts. Writer Oppenheim stated:

“I welcome the conversation. I’m so glad the Pentagon watched, or is watching, and is paying attention to it, because this is exactly the conversation we want to have.”

Regarding the controversy, Kathryn Bigelow and Oppenheim stated they couldn't know the Pentagon's mindset, but were "thrilled" that the movie had become a catalyst. They viewed the controversy and the resulting dialogue among policymakers and experts as a successful outcome, fulfilling their goal to start a conversation about global safety. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Oppenheim stated:

“There’s no way for us to get in the minds of the folks who wrote that memo, but as Kathryn said, both of us are thrilled to see a conversation happening between policymakers and experts about how to make the world a safer place."

The Pentagon publicly clarified to Bloomberg that the filmmakers did not consult with them, asserting that the movie "does not reflect the views or priorities" of the current administration. They highlighted that the missile defense system "remains a critical component" of the US defense strategy.

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A House of Dynamite is streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha