Patriots Day

PATRIOTS DAY (15)

D: Peter Berg

Lionsgate/CBS/Bluegrass/Closest To The Hole (Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Christian E. Christiansen, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Hutch Parker, Dorothy Aufiero, Stephen Stapinski & Michael Radutzky)

US 2016

133 mins


Action/Thriller


W: Peter Berg, Matt Cook & Joshua Zetumer [based on the book "Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy" by Casey Sherman & Dave Wedge]

DP: Tobias A. Schliessler

Ed: Gabriel Fleming & Colby Parker, Jr.

Mus: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross


Mark Wahlberg (Sgt. Tommy Saunders), John Goodman (Commissioner Ed Davis), J.K. Simmons (Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese), Michelle Monaghan (Carol Saunders), Kevin Bacon (Agent Richard DesLauriers), Vincent Curatola (Mayor Thomas Menino)


Patriots Day is based around the true events of the 2013 bombing during the Boston Marathon and subsequent terrorist manhunt, but with its hefty injection of Hollywood action, the script could easily have been recycled as a sequel to the Die Hard or Lethal Weapon movies.

The film spends a little time focusing on principal characters, including Tommy Saunders, a suspended police sergeant who was on the finish line when the bombs exploded, as well as a handful of the victims of the fateful day. Bafflingly, the film also dedicates time to the terrorists, who are very one-dimensionally written when the main focus of the movie really should have been on the heroes, rather than the antagonists.

It is very well produced, but the screenplay makes attempts to be humorous, which is a little tasteless considering the material.

A worthwhile watch, but a less sensationalised approach would have gone down a lot better.

6/10


Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day
Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day