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‘A House of Dynamite’ Triggers Public Fight Over Missile Defense Claims as Filmmakers and Analysts Challenge Pentagon

Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim says in new TV interviews that the agency’s 100 percent claim conflicts with independent analyses.

Overview

  • An internal Missile Defense Agency memo dated Oct. 16, reported last week, asserts recent interceptor tests have been perfectly accurate and rejects the Netflix film’s portrayal.
  • Oppenheim continued his media defense on CNN and MSNBC, saying the movie reflects extensive consultations with missile-defense experts and inviting a broader policy discussion.
  • National‑security voices including Sen. Ed Markey and analysts Fred Kaplan and Joseph Cirincione counter the memo, citing historical test results closer to roughly 50–60 percent and noting real combat conditions are tougher.
  • Director Kathryn Bigelow defends the film’s design as a conversation starter about nuclear risk, presidential launch authority and the limits of technology, as it holds the No. 1 spot on Netflix.
  • International commentary, including in South Korea, is using the film to question preparedness and to argue for renewed diplomacy and arms‑control efforts.