A House of Dynamite: A Promising Start That Detonates Its Own Potential

I felt completely robbed after watching this movie. Honestly, I felt like Justin Timberlake in In Time — where time is literally currency — except this time, it was my own being stolen. That’s exactly what A House of Dynamite felt like: 112 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.

The film starts off with an intriguing premise and a tense, gripping first 30 minutes that had me on the edge of my seat. It sets up what feels like the potential for a powerful, layered crime thriller. But soon after, that promise begins to unravel — and fast. Once you realize how the storytelling loop works, it becomes painfully repetitive. The same scenes are replayed again and again from different perspectives, but instead of adding new meaning or tension, it just drags on. The novelty wears off quickly, and what could have been clever storytelling turns into a frustrating cycle that feels both unoriginal and exhausting.

To make things worse, the film keeps introducing new characters just when something starts to build momentum. Each time you think the plot is finally going somewhere, a new face shows up, and the movie resets itself back to square one. This constant repetition makes the experience not only predictable but also deeply annoying. By the time it reaches its so-called climax, all that buildup leads to an abrupt, inconclusive ending that feels like the rug’s been pulled out from under you. It’s not satisfying — it’s infuriating.

And let’s talk about the biggest disappointment of all: Idris Elba. If you’re watching this expecting to see him as a major part of the story, don’t hold your breath. He doesn’t appear until over an hour into the movie, and by the time he finally does, the story has already run out of steam. His character barely adds anything before the film just… ends.

I had high hopes given the strong cast and the fact that it’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow, but A House of Dynamite completely misses the mark. It’s a messy, repetitive, and hollow experience — and unfortunately, that’s 112 minutes I’ll never get back.