A House of Dynamite is far from the first movie to think about the “what if” doomsday scenario. For much of the Cold War, the question wasn’t “what if,” it was “when?” and “how bad?” As WWII came to a close in 1945, American forces dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, swiftly ushering in the Atomic Age.

A House of Dynamite follows the US president and government as they navigate an official response to a nuclear missile that's heading for the country—launched by an unidentified enemy.

Further irking viewers is that the 18 minutes before the catastrophic event takes place are replayed from several of the characters’ perspectives, without offering a concluding payoff.