Kathryn Bigelow's latest directorial effort, "A House of Dynamite," has captivated audiences, maintaining its position as the number one choice for moviegoers on Netflix for an entire week. This political thriller, which plunges viewers into a doomsday scenario unfolding over one breathless morning, quickly rose to the top of the streaming giant's viewership charts upon its release last month and has remained there consistently.

The film has been no stranger to controversy, with its plot generating discussion even within the Pentagon. Far from deterring audiences, this added attention, alongside a mixed but ultimately positive critical reception, has fueled its popularity. According to FlixPatrol, "A House of Dynamite" successfully fended off new releases such as the documentary "Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers" and the psychological drama "Ballad of a Small Player" to secure its peak position globally.

At the heart of "A House of Dynamite" is Rebecca Ferguson, who portrays a White House staffer thrust into command of the situation room when a nuclear missile is detected heading towards the United States. The narrative uniquely unfolds by retelling these critical events from two distinct perspectives, culminating in the President of the United States' point-of-view, a role powerfully assumed by Idris Elba. The film's runtime is 113 minutes, with Noah Oppenheim credited as the writer and Greg Shapiro, Kathryn Bigelow, and Noah Oppenheim as producers.

Bigelow's film has been a volatile topic on aggregator sites like Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting its intense subject matter. It currently holds a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes, having seen a slight drop from the low-80s, with its audience score hovering in a similar range. Despite the varied reception, "A House of Dynamite" is generating significant Oscars buzz, a familiar pattern for Bigelow, whose previous works have also garnered awards attention.

This marks Kathryn Bigelow's first feature film since 2017's "Detroit," a similarly controversial production that struggled at the box office. Before "Detroit," her film "Zero Dark Thirty" was both a critical and commercial success. Notably, "A House of Dynamite" is Bigelow's first project in over a decade without writer Mark Boal, who penned "Detroit," "Zero Dark Thirty," and their Best Picture-winning collaboration, "The Hurt Locker." The cast also includes Anthony Ramos, Tracy Letts, and Kyle Allen. "A House of Dynamite" is available for streaming on Netflix.