A nuclear missile is headed toward the United States, but it’s not clear who launched it or why. This film follows the response inside our government agencies, as they try to avert disaster. It’s presented from 3 different angles, adding new information each time, including the final one which features the President (Idris Elba) The cast is jammed with talented actors giving top notch performances, but it’s director Kathryn Bigelow (back after 7 years) who’s the real source of cinematic power. She’s crafted a slow-burn tension that doesn’t lets up, while never showboating. While thoughtfully considering the various arguments, the script also manages to make a complex issue understandable. Politics aren’t even the focus. It’s the chilling possibility that nuclear war could change our planet forever and our hopes of preventing it are terrifyingly untenable. 
(4 / 5)
