Directed by:
Peter BergCinematography:
Tobias A. SchliesslerCast:
Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, Melissa Benoist, Kevin Bacon, Lana Condor, Erica McDermott, Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Wolff (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
An account of the Boston Marathon bombing, Patriots Day is the powerful story of a community's courage in the face of terror. In the aftermath of an unspeakable act of terror, Police Sergeant TOMMY SAUNDERS (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent RICHARD DESLAURIERS (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner ED DAVIS (John Goodman), Sergeant JEFFREY PUGLIESE (J.K. Simmons) and nurse CAROL SAUNDERS (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and the strength of the people of Boston. (Lionsgate US)
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Reviews (9)
It was obvious from the title what I was in for, so I can't really complain. I surprised myself by giving such a high rating, but a few things amused me so much that I just couldn’t help myself. I definitely don't approve of bombings, as I think it's beyond cowardly. On the other hand, I didn't approve of the humanitarian bombing of the former Yugoslavia so that Hashim Thaci could have his little drug state, so I didn't cry over the poor Americans being slaughtered. What I found hilarious were the skills of the American security forces, who couldn’t even find a common radio frequency. It was almost necessary to deploy the Navy to eliminate two Chechens with pressure cookers. The Americans are just not very good at internal security, their strength is mainly in strategic bombing and cruise missiles, and they have no training in pressure cookers. As a long-time cynic, it immediately occurred to me that Boston might not be the best outlet for Dr. Scholl...
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As expected. From the filmmaking point of view, Peter Berg did not disappoint. The explosions at the marathon and the subsequent confusion are filmed so well that you will bate your breath. It literally makes you feel like you are there with the cameraman. But this is where all the positives of this movie end. Unless you like American hysteria and an emphasis on patriotism. But that is, after all, apparent already from the title of the film, so count on the portrayal of America as the unique country and there is a number of characters in the film, who, of course, make it so unique.
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After the tranquil introduction leading to the explosion, Patriots Day escalates in an exciting hunt for the bombers and, conversely, their attempt to get away. I don’t want to exaggerate, but I don’t think we’ve seen such an engaging, authentic street shootout since Michael Mann’s Heat. Berg recreates the events by mixing real documentary shots with a thriller movie, and whether he embellishes the story or not, the result looks great. It’s perfectly balanced in terms of character portrayal, narrative dynamics and the tolerability of the patriotic elements. At some moments, I was riveted to my seat.
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Peter Berg's reputation with me has recovered a bit after the recent not very satisfying Deepwater Horizon, but Patriots Day still falls short of the pinnacle of his work. While it is a rather sensitive subject, I still find it odd to make a film about a terrorist attack where only three people died when there are far greater disasters happening in the world. But about the film: The pacing is good, the big shootout is stylish, the filming is solid, and Mark Wahlberg is classically fine again, so I'll give four stars for entertainment. 70%
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The scenes of the Boston Marathon blast are really powerful in themselves and the subsequent chase with the terrorists works excellently, primarily the shootout in Watertown is polished and clearly true to life as much as was at all possible. It was maybe unnecessarily too full of pathos and characters (in some places the movie loses momentum terribly). Berg is good at realistic reconstructions, but the mass of authentic shots detracted a little from the power of the picture. There isn’t much shine to Reznor’s soundtrack this time round.
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