Overview

• Kathryn Bigelow returns with a contemporary nuclear-threat thriller built around an unattributed missile hurtling toward the United States, with Chicago cited as a likely target in early reviews.
• Critics commend the film’s nerve‑wracking suspense, character focus, and procedural detail, while some note the repeated structure softens momentum in later sections.
• Idris Elba stars as the U.S. president alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Tracy Letts, Jared Harris, Gabriel Basso, Anthony Ramos and others in an ensemble centered on decision-making under extreme pressure.
• Reviews underscore Bigelow and writer‑producer Noah Oppenheim’s emphasis on authenticity, including clear depictions of protocols and on‑screen clarifications of military terms such as DEFCON.
• The film opens in U.S. theaters Oct. 10 before streaming on Netflix Oct. 24, and it is rated R with a 112‑minute runtime.