Overview

• The film dramatizes a hypothetical nuclear strike on the United States to probe how institutions and people respond under extreme time pressure.
• Reviews describe a three-part structure that restarts the clock and shifts the viewpoint from a White House security officer to the defense chief and then the president.
• Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris and Idris Elba lead the cast, portraying Olivia Walker, the senior defense official and the U.S. president.
• Critics emphasize granular command-room detail, including minute-by-minute countdowns and a DEFCON 1 alert, with a major American city portrayed as at risk.
• The feature premiered in Venice to strong notices, runs 112 minutes, features a score by Oscar winner Volker Bertelmann, and avoids direct references to current U.S. politicians.