Pentagon Criticizes Bigelow’s Nuclear Defense Accuracy in New Film

LOS ANGELES, CA — Director Kathryn Bigelow is responding to criticism from the Pentagon regarding her film, A House of Dynamite, which depicts the United States’ nuclear missile defense systems. The controversy arose after an internal memo from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) stated that the film misrepresents the effectiveness of U.S. missile defenses, claiming a 100 percent success rate in testing.

Bigelow is enthusiastic about the discussions sparked by her film, which premiered on Netflix and quickly became its No. 1 release, racking up 22.1 million views in just three days. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bigelow said, “In a perfect world, culture has the potential to drive policy,” emphasizing her hope for increased dialogue about nuclear weapons proliferation.

In the film, the story suggests that U.S. missile defenses may only intercept incoming threats about 50 percent of the time, which Bigelow refers to as “a coin toss.” Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s memo insists that their systems are more reliable, presenting a stark contrast to the film’s portrayal. Writers and experts, including Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, have publicly supported the film’s depiction of the missile defense systems.

Noah Oppenheim, the film’s writer, pointed out that the debate is between the Pentagon and a broader community of experts who back the film’s accuracy. “We believe all those experts who’ve told us that the system is more like a coin toss like we depict in the film,” Oppenheim said.

Bigelow stressed the importance of realism in her storytelling, drawing comparisons to her previous films, Zero Dark Thirty and Hurt Locker. “I just state the truth. In this piece, it’s all about realism and authenticity,” she emphasized, highlighting their reliance on expert consultation.

As the film continues to attract attention, both Bigelow and Oppenheim hope it serves as a conversation starter about nuclear policies. Bigelow reflected on the film’s impact, stating, “Nuclear weapons have been shrouded in silence for several decades now. It’s my opinion that this was a conversation that needed to happen.”

The discussion over A House of Dynamite’s accuracy is expected to evolve further, especially as important negotiations regarding nuclear policy loom in the near future.