PATRIOTS DAY
Director : Peter Berg
Year: 2017
Genre : Biographical Thriller
Rating : ****
'Patriots Day', the latest biographical thriller from writer/director Peter Berg, perfectly demonstrates that filmmakers can take a tragic event from our recent past and still manage to make something out of it which is sincere, honest and respectable without having to resort to cheap emotional manipulation or breast-beating sensationalism.
Chronicling the harrowing events of the worst US terrorist attack since 9/11, Mark Wahlberg (reuniting with Berg for the third time after 2013's 'Lone Survivor' and last year's quite brilliant disaster biopic 'Deepwater Horizon') leads an all star cast as a talented yet unpredictable police officer whose skill and dedication proved to be utterly indispensable when a pair of young Kyrgyzstanian born brothers detonated two homemade bombs at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon - a merciless attack which ultimately killed three innocent people and injured many hundreds more.
Chronicling the harrowing events of the worst US terrorist attack since 9/11, Mark Wahlberg (reuniting with Berg for the third time after 2013's 'Lone Survivor' and last year's quite brilliant disaster biopic 'Deepwater Horizon') leads an all star cast as a talented yet unpredictable police officer whose skill and dedication proved to be utterly indispensable when a pair of young Kyrgyzstanian born brothers detonated two homemade bombs at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon - a merciless attack which ultimately killed three innocent people and injured many hundreds more.
Like 'United 93' before it, 'Patriots Day' uses a combination of CCTV/news footage from that fateful day as well as filmed reconstruction to paint a clear picture of the key events before, during and after the incident and thanks to a number of dedicated supporting performances from the likes of John Goodman, Kevin Bacon and J.K Simmons, the films very palpable senses of urgency and fear are deftly carried right through its admittedly overlong duration - a show stopping shootout set piece between the BPD and the two perpetrators is especially exhilarating.
But above it's adrenaline pumping action sequences and infrequent moments of graphic yet tasteful violence, 'Patriots Day' is first and foremost a memorial to those who were killed during the attack and a beautifully judged epilogue featuring pictures of the deceased proves to be a most suitable and heartbreaking epitaph. Thrilling yet thoroughly respectful, 'Patriots Day' is a solidly crafted and sometimes deeply affecting tribute not only to the many heroic men and women who helped to save lives on that most horrendous of days but also to those few who so tragically lost theirs.
But above it's adrenaline pumping action sequences and infrequent moments of graphic yet tasteful violence, 'Patriots Day' is first and foremost a memorial to those who were killed during the attack and a beautifully judged epilogue featuring pictures of the deceased proves to be a most suitable and heartbreaking epitaph. Thrilling yet thoroughly respectful, 'Patriots Day' is a solidly crafted and sometimes deeply affecting tribute not only to the many heroic men and women who helped to save lives on that most horrendous of days but also to those few who so tragically lost theirs.
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