Director Kathryn Bigelow's latest political thriller, "A House of Dynamite," may be topping the Netflix charts, but not everyone was impressed by this divisive new Netflix No. 1 movie. Its ending (which I'll try my best not to spoil here) left a lot to be desired after watching the same events play out three times over.
"A House of Dynamite" landed on Netflix on Oct. 25 and managed to oust both "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and "The Perfect Neighbor" (a harrowing documentary I'd encourage everyone to watch) as the Netflix movie of the moment. If you're anything like me, though, "A House of Dynamite" left you itching to sink your teeth into something more substantial, a political thriller where all that white-knuckle tension and political intrigue actually, y'know ... pays off?
'Munich – The Edge of War' (Netflix)
Most war movies drop you into the middle of conflict or the war's final days, but “Munich – The Edge of War” takes a different approach, instead unfolding in the tense months leading up to World War II. Though it’s been part of Netflix's catalogue for years without making major waves, I'd argue it's one of the streamer's most compelling political thrillers.
Set in 1938, it follows two old friends and former Oxford classmates — one British (George MacKay) and one German (Jannis Niewöhner) — who end up on opposing sides of history as Europe teeters on the brink of war. While at an emergency conference in Munich, the two find themselves drawn into a scheme to depose Hitler. And, well ... you can guess about how well that goes. “Munich – The Edge of War” takes more liberties with historical accuracy than "A House of Dynamite," so any purists out there will have plenty to nitpick, but it's still a fascinating glimpse into a chapter of history that’s rarely explored on screen.
Watch "Munich – The Edge of War" on Netflix now
'Eye in the Sky' (Cinemax)
Between "Official Secrets" and "Eye in the Sky," Gavin Hood has quietly cemented himself as Hollywood's political thriller tour de force. Starring Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul, "Eye in the Sky" follows the surveillance and potential capture of Al-Shabaab leaders hiding in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya.
When a young girl enters the kill zone of a planned government assassination, it thrusts British Colonel Katherine Powell (Mirren) and her team into a moral and strategic crisis. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Eye in the Sky" jumps between multiple characters and locations in real-time to gradually dial up the suspense. Also like "A House of Dynamite," it invites the audience to wrestle with difficult questions about weapons of war, the justification of collateral damage, and the personal toll these life-or-death decisions can have.
Watch 'Eye in the Sky' on Cinemax via Prime Video or Hulu
'The Report' (Prime Video)
"The Report" tackles one of the bleakest chapters in recent American history, which should make its ties to "A House of Dynamite" obvious. Adam Driver stars as Daniel Jones, a dedicated Senate staffer with possibly the world's most depressing job: investigating the CIA's so-called “Enhanced Interrogation Program” in the wake of September 11.
The deeper he digs, the more disturbing it gets, including systemic use of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture. The story moves seamlessly between Jones’s relentless search for answers and the actions of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center during the incidents under scrutiny. Despite political pressure and a campaign to silence his work, Jones refuses to back down, and Driver really showcases his talent as a leading man by embodying that fiery moral conviction.
Watch 'The Report' on Prime Video now
'Bridge of Spies' (PVOD)
When Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks come together, it almost always spells success, and "Bridge of Spies" is no exception. With six Academy Award nominations under its belt, including for Best Picture, this Cold War thriller dramatizes lawyer James B. Donovan’s efforts to broker a high-stakes prisoner exchange: U.S. prisoner and Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) for captured American pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) in the USSR.
"Bride of Spies" quickly evolves from a legal drama to a complex web of political maneuvering and international negotiations thanks to Spielberg's masterful touch at the helm. Hanks delivers his usual gem performance as Donovan, though Rylance deserves his flowers for matching his talent beat for beat, a gentle enigma that plays well off Hanks' all-American assuredness with just the right amount of hokum.
Buy or rent "Bridge of Spies" on YouTube or Apple
'Fail Safe' (Tubi)
"Fail-Safe" is often written off as a more serious "Dr. Strangelove," and the comparison makes sense considering they both came out in the same year, from the same studio, with similar plots. But "Fail-Safe" is also an impressive cinematic feat outside of "Dr. Strangelove's" shadow, and I consider it a must-watch for those looking for more of "A House of Dynamite's" nerve-shredding tension and political intrigue.
Sidney Lumet's Cold War thriller explores a terrifying chain of events when a computer system designed to prevent nuclear attacks malfunctions. When the system sounds the alarm, the U.S. scrambles to send nuclear bombers to attack Moscow, but more technical mishaps make communication impossible, sending the two global superpowers on a collision course for nuclear war. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Fail Safe" unfolds in a series of rooms where officials have their feet to the fire to make difficult decisions, and quickly lest there be even more blood on their hands.
Watch "Fail Safe" on Tubi now
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