"Two people took many days and weeks to plan out hate but love responded in an instant." Tommy Saunders (Wahlberg) is a Sargent in the BPD. He is assigned to the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon. As the race is winding down the unthinkable happens and Tommy is right in the middle of one of the worst terrorist attacks in history. Now, with little evidence or leads Tommy, the FBI and every cop around conduct a manhunt to try and catch those responsible. For some reason I was not really looking forward to watching this. I think one of the reasons may have been the fact that it is still too close to the actual events and I remember watching it unfold on TV so I didn't think this would be that interesting or new. That being said I couldn't have been more wrong. The fact that this story is less than 4 years old really worked for it because it really milked the events prior and it felt tense, then once the bombs went off the pace really picked up and even though you know how it ends you are still tense and on the edge of your seat. I have said many times that there have been movies that are still able to pull off tenseness and excitement even though you know the entire story. This is one of those movies. Don't let the fact that you already know what happened dissuade you from watching this. This is much better than I was expecting and highly recommend this. Overall, tense and exciting. I really really enjoyed this and was engrossed the entire time. I give this an A.
302 Reviews
Keeps you on the edge
brucehiddenjr-4643114 July 2020
Surprisingly Moving
jc-999-59110612 January 2017
I saw this movie at a preview showing and was very pleasantly surprised.
The movie is great, the cast are uniformly excellent, and the plot moves along really nicely. I was mesmerized throughout, the pacing was excellent and, even though we all remember the outcome from the extensive news coverage, I was surprised at some of the things that happened before the end.
It was surprisingly moving at a few points, sorry, no spoilers so I won't say any more.
Great job to everyone who worked on this movie.
The movie is great, the cast are uniformly excellent, and the plot moves along really nicely. I was mesmerized throughout, the pacing was excellent and, even though we all remember the outcome from the extensive news coverage, I was surprised at some of the things that happened before the end.
It was surprisingly moving at a few points, sorry, no spoilers so I won't say any more.
Great job to everyone who worked on this movie.
Respectful account of the Boston bombing
rogerdarlington30 September 2017
The day is 15 April 2013; the place is Boston; the occasion is the annual marathon. As we all know, two radicalised Chechen immigrants, Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Themo Melikidze), set off two bombs which killed three people and injured several hundred others, including 16 who lost limbs.
This film is a very workmanlike and respectful, almost documentary-style, account of the eve of the event, the bombing itself, and tracking down of the assailants in a tense five-day manhunt. Mark Wahlberg, reuniting with the director for the third film in a row, is Boston detective Tommy Saunders, a composite of several real people, while Kevin Bacon plays FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers.
For writer and director Peter Berg, following "Lone Survivor" and "Deep Water Horizon", "Patriots Day" can be seen as the third part of his unofficial Americans-in-crisis trilogy which probably play better for US audiences than overseas, but manage to combine information with entertainment.
This time round, the viewer cannot fail to be struck by the complexity and sophistication of modern-day surveillance and forensic technologies. If only these technologies could prevent terrorist incidents (without too much of a sacrifice of our privacy and freedoms) as well as find those who have just committed such an atrocity.
This film is a very workmanlike and respectful, almost documentary-style, account of the eve of the event, the bombing itself, and tracking down of the assailants in a tense five-day manhunt. Mark Wahlberg, reuniting with the director for the third film in a row, is Boston detective Tommy Saunders, a composite of several real people, while Kevin Bacon plays FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers.
For writer and director Peter Berg, following "Lone Survivor" and "Deep Water Horizon", "Patriots Day" can be seen as the third part of his unofficial Americans-in-crisis trilogy which probably play better for US audiences than overseas, but manage to combine information with entertainment.
This time round, the viewer cannot fail to be struck by the complexity and sophistication of modern-day surveillance and forensic technologies. If only these technologies could prevent terrorist incidents (without too much of a sacrifice of our privacy and freedoms) as well as find those who have just committed such an atrocity.
Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg
SnoopyStyle22 February 2018
Various people's lives cross path in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and its following manhunt. It is directed by Peter Berg and starring Boston native Mark Wahlberg.
Originally, I feared Mark Wahlberg. He's not the greatest of actors although my bigger fear is that they would make the movie about him. That partly happened. Honestly, I cringed when he started yelling at Kevin Bacon and I rolled my eyes when he showed up to interview the Chinese guy. By placing him in the center of every aspect of the investigation, the movie loses a sense of reality. There is no need for him to be at every aspect of the manhunt. I do love the walk-thru with the security cameras. Otherwise, his role should be cut in half. This shouldn't be a vehicle for Mark.
On the other hand, I am overjoyed with the other people's stories. I love the Chinese guy and MIT security guy. This could cut back Wahlberg mugging for the cameras and add work from the other cops. Give me more J.K. Simmons. This movie should not be an one-man story if it purports to show the events in its entirety.
Originally, I feared Mark Wahlberg. He's not the greatest of actors although my bigger fear is that they would make the movie about him. That partly happened. Honestly, I cringed when he started yelling at Kevin Bacon and I rolled my eyes when he showed up to interview the Chinese guy. By placing him in the center of every aspect of the investigation, the movie loses a sense of reality. There is no need for him to be at every aspect of the manhunt. I do love the walk-thru with the security cameras. Otherwise, his role should be cut in half. This shouldn't be a vehicle for Mark.
On the other hand, I am overjoyed with the other people's stories. I love the Chinese guy and MIT security guy. This could cut back Wahlberg mugging for the cameras and add work from the other cops. Give me more J.K. Simmons. This movie should not be an one-man story if it purports to show the events in its entirety.
A review from someone that was actually there
damhnait-7553326 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I was there living in Boston at the time of the bombings. I was in the city to try to get a look at the Marathon finish line. Luckily I didn't get that close. I did see and hear the bombs go off. My God the blood was everywhere I could see that from even where I was standing. It was absolute chaos.
This film is incredibly accurate. Mark Wahlberg's character is based on several police officers experiences. There are some trolls on here saying there was a political agenda or the facts are wrong in this film?? They are completely out of their minds. Not even a hint of it. Just the truth of what happened. I know I was there and I LIVED it. Nothing hinting left or right.
I had the bad luck of working only a block away from where they captured the last terrorist in Watertown. I was stuck in our office sitting on the floor with State troopers giving us water bottles for like 12 hours. No one complained. The city was in lock down. I shouldn't have even been in work.
When the police and FBI captured him people came out of their houses onto the streets clapping and celebrating as the police came by. It was a lovely thing to witness. Rarely do films do it right like "Patriots Day" but they some how managed to recreate that same atmosphere. It was an extraordinary time to live in Boston with everyone coming together and this film really depicted that.
This film is incredibly accurate. Mark Wahlberg's character is based on several police officers experiences. There are some trolls on here saying there was a political agenda or the facts are wrong in this film?? They are completely out of their minds. Not even a hint of it. Just the truth of what happened. I know I was there and I LIVED it. Nothing hinting left or right.
I had the bad luck of working only a block away from where they captured the last terrorist in Watertown. I was stuck in our office sitting on the floor with State troopers giving us water bottles for like 12 hours. No one complained. The city was in lock down. I shouldn't have even been in work.
When the police and FBI captured him people came out of their houses onto the streets clapping and celebrating as the police came by. It was a lovely thing to witness. Rarely do films do it right like "Patriots Day" but they some how managed to recreate that same atmosphere. It was an extraordinary time to live in Boston with everyone coming together and this film really depicted that.
Good Film but Lacks Depth
nfirthpanetta18 March 2017
There seem to be a lot of negative reviews for this movie because of an apparent mis-telling of the story or true story or hoax or whatever else people have said. As I'm not American, and have very little to do with American events (so hence have no context as to the truth or hoax or conspiracy or whatever of the Boston Marathon) I shall just stick to reviewing the movie for what it is: a movie.
As a movie, they did a great job pulling it together. Mark Wahlberg plays his character perfectly. I have no idea if thats because of his acting ability, or if its more the fact that someone has yet again created a character that fits Mark Wahlberg to perfection. To be honest, it's probably the latter. Because of that, if you liked Deep Water Horizon then you'll probably like this because his acting is the same in both (which works fine because it's similar type of emotion and adrenaline you'd expect from both situations).
The character spread was also well done. You got to see the impacting/impacted characters early on and had a nice transition between their development as the movie progressed.
My only reservation about the film is that it pretty much gives you no explanation as to why the bombing even happened. Sure, it's easy for people to shout that it was terrorism or a hate crime, or done by hateful people, but that isn't an explanation. It might be true, but it's not an explanation, it's blatant ignorance which the world can no longer afford. This film could have benefited so much from shedding some light on the bombers motivation!!! To be honest, they were actually the one part that let this film down, Their storyline was wasted on surface level personality development and retracing of their steps throughout the event. Instead, the film should have used that time to instead show their motivation to commit the acts. This would have deepened their storyline and given the movie as a whole, a much richer and more stimulating story. In saying that, Themo Melikidze did a great job of making a believable character out of the little depth he was given.
All in all this was a good film, however, it does lack the depth and backbone necessary for a second viewing.
As a movie, they did a great job pulling it together. Mark Wahlberg plays his character perfectly. I have no idea if thats because of his acting ability, or if its more the fact that someone has yet again created a character that fits Mark Wahlberg to perfection. To be honest, it's probably the latter. Because of that, if you liked Deep Water Horizon then you'll probably like this because his acting is the same in both (which works fine because it's similar type of emotion and adrenaline you'd expect from both situations).
The character spread was also well done. You got to see the impacting/impacted characters early on and had a nice transition between their development as the movie progressed.
My only reservation about the film is that it pretty much gives you no explanation as to why the bombing even happened. Sure, it's easy for people to shout that it was terrorism or a hate crime, or done by hateful people, but that isn't an explanation. It might be true, but it's not an explanation, it's blatant ignorance which the world can no longer afford. This film could have benefited so much from shedding some light on the bombers motivation!!! To be honest, they were actually the one part that let this film down, Their storyline was wasted on surface level personality development and retracing of their steps throughout the event. Instead, the film should have used that time to instead show their motivation to commit the acts. This would have deepened their storyline and given the movie as a whole, a much richer and more stimulating story. In saying that, Themo Melikidze did a great job of making a believable character out of the little depth he was given.
All in all this was a good film, however, it does lack the depth and backbone necessary for a second viewing.
Writer/Director Peter Berg Takes Police Work to the next Level
A_Different_Drummer13 January 2017
PPs (police procedurals) are a staple of the film/TV industry and are (believe it or not) as common as comedies or romcoms. However, within that category, "big" PPs based on big crimes are not that common. In fact, you would have to go back to the early 70s when a number of "big PPs" like Day of the Jackal 1973 were all the rage.
So, a film like this done properly (and, trust me, this one is done perfectly) would be a treat all by itself. However, what makes this film extra-special is the extensive use of video footage.
Now, to be clear, video footage as a plot device is not new by itself. It is now, and has been used extensively in British film and TV because, as we all know, London is the most "surveyed" city on the planet.
But -- the point -- nothing the Brits have ever done with the forensic use of video comes even close to what Berg brings us in this excellent film. Much the same way that the original creators of CSI-Vegas introduced an entirely new sort of sub-genre, it can be argued that Patriots Day similarly has taken the police procedural to an entirely new level.
The film itself? Brilliant! Berg has taken a stellar group of A-listers and make them work as a team, mirroring on the subliminal level the theme of the movie, which is both positive, and hopeful, and suggests that if we all work together, we can accomplish pretty much anything.
So, a film like this done properly (and, trust me, this one is done perfectly) would be a treat all by itself. However, what makes this film extra-special is the extensive use of video footage.
Now, to be clear, video footage as a plot device is not new by itself. It is now, and has been used extensively in British film and TV because, as we all know, London is the most "surveyed" city on the planet.
But -- the point -- nothing the Brits have ever done with the forensic use of video comes even close to what Berg brings us in this excellent film. Much the same way that the original creators of CSI-Vegas introduced an entirely new sort of sub-genre, it can be argued that Patriots Day similarly has taken the police procedural to an entirely new level.
The film itself? Brilliant! Berg has taken a stellar group of A-listers and make them work as a team, mirroring on the subliminal level the theme of the movie, which is both positive, and hopeful, and suggests that if we all work together, we can accomplish pretty much anything.
Would've been better as a documentary
Semisonic20 March 2017
People are captivated by the extraordinary events. And people love to be entertained. So what could possibly be better than a dramatic story of extraordinary nature. Especially if it's based on real events, shows the heroism of simple people and touches the audience's sensitive patriotic spot.
That's basically a recipe for Patriots Day. Take the case of the Boston Marathon bombing, the largest terrorist attack in the US since 9/11, show it through the eyes of several regular people, first introducing their personal lives and then following them along the course of the main events. And finally, when it's all over, add some first-person moral lessons and conclusions, so that we all realize for sure how important and pivotal that event was for the people and for the world, and feel privy to its changing momentum.
All by itself, it's a pretty good, even noble approach. But there's a tiny little detail that changes everything: that all that must sell somehow, because even the extraordinary stories have to be entertaining. So the otherwise consistent and self-sufficient story is being infused with dramatization, laying it on even thicker where it's already been thick, and creating moments that might not have been there in the first place simply to make the story more of a thriller. A very similar thing happened just recently with Deepwater Horizon.
The result becomes a product with the typical Hollywood spin, but proudly called "based on real events". That it might be, but on the basis of real people's actions, beliefs and lives there has been put enough creative imagination for the film to feel at times fake, at times cheesy and at times way over the top. And we will never know for sure if some or other moments that touched each of us personally happened for real, or they were skillfully injected by the filmmakers to genetically modify the movie and make it more appealing to the audience. Having fallen for this trick before, I refuse to be bought so cheaply again. So I really wish movies such as Patriots Day were made as documentaries. Yes, maybe they wouldn't sell as much, but at least they would be sincere and true. And what if not truth and sincerity do such stories try to uphold?
That's basically a recipe for Patriots Day. Take the case of the Boston Marathon bombing, the largest terrorist attack in the US since 9/11, show it through the eyes of several regular people, first introducing their personal lives and then following them along the course of the main events. And finally, when it's all over, add some first-person moral lessons and conclusions, so that we all realize for sure how important and pivotal that event was for the people and for the world, and feel privy to its changing momentum.
All by itself, it's a pretty good, even noble approach. But there's a tiny little detail that changes everything: that all that must sell somehow, because even the extraordinary stories have to be entertaining. So the otherwise consistent and self-sufficient story is being infused with dramatization, laying it on even thicker where it's already been thick, and creating moments that might not have been there in the first place simply to make the story more of a thriller. A very similar thing happened just recently with Deepwater Horizon.
The result becomes a product with the typical Hollywood spin, but proudly called "based on real events". That it might be, but on the basis of real people's actions, beliefs and lives there has been put enough creative imagination for the film to feel at times fake, at times cheesy and at times way over the top. And we will never know for sure if some or other moments that touched each of us personally happened for real, or they were skillfully injected by the filmmakers to genetically modify the movie and make it more appealing to the audience. Having fallen for this trick before, I refuse to be bought so cheaply again. So I really wish movies such as Patriots Day were made as documentaries. Yes, maybe they wouldn't sell as much, but at least they would be sincere and true. And what if not truth and sincerity do such stories try to uphold?
Great film
fenix-2498127 March 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as one of Bostonians. This movie does not have over-the-top action sequences or over-acting. It just tells story as it happened and I really liked that. Yes, there are some non-existing characters and elements, but I think those make movie progression little smoother.
I highly recommend this movie.
I highly recommend this movie.
I was very impressed by what I saw.
subxerogravity23 December 2016
Was never fully sure about the movie. Very iffy only because I find it weird how so many movies about real life stories are about relatively recent events. The marathon bomber happen three years ago, that seems like such little time to make a narrative about history.
Despite this, it was a great police drama. It showed law enforcement coming together for the greater good and it was a beautiful image to see, cause in most police dramas, cops even have discrimination upon themselves. If this was fiction, Boston PD would not be able to get along with Water Town PD and both would hate the FBI cause for some reason the tension of trying to find terrorist is not enough for writers. It was good to see cops be 100% at their job. They were not portrayed as being perfect only as being human and heroes are human. They were regular Boston citizens who wear a badge.
It was a very good story about people coming together to step up to the challenge. I expect noting less from director Peter Berg who has a real skill when it comes to bringing out every heroic moment.
Despite this, it was a great police drama. It showed law enforcement coming together for the greater good and it was a beautiful image to see, cause in most police dramas, cops even have discrimination upon themselves. If this was fiction, Boston PD would not be able to get along with Water Town PD and both would hate the FBI cause for some reason the tension of trying to find terrorist is not enough for writers. It was good to see cops be 100% at their job. They were not portrayed as being perfect only as being human and heroes are human. They were regular Boston citizens who wear a badge.
It was a very good story about people coming together to step up to the challenge. I expect noting less from director Peter Berg who has a real skill when it comes to bringing out every heroic moment.
A Marathon Investigation
bob-the-movie-man18 March 2017
While there are predictable social media conspiracy theories that the "whole thing was a hoax", the two bombs that went off near the finish line of the Boston marathon on April 15th 2013 killed three members of the public and injured more than 250 others. It was a life- changing event for those people and their immediate families, but sadly nothing more than a small footnote in the global story of car bombs and suicide missions that have killed and maimed thousands and thousands of people in war-stricken countries around the world in recent years. It's a point not lost on the scriptwriters of "Patriot's Day", the new film by Peter Berg ("Deepwater Horizon"). In an America where press freedom seems to be under increasing threat, the film refreshingly provides room for reflecting the antagonists' views, twisted and barking as they may be, and the film is better for that.
Mark Wahlberg ("Deepwater Horizon", "Ted") plays senior Boston homicide cop Tommy Saunders. He's on menial duties after a past indiscretion, but has just one last day stewarding the finish line of the Boston marathon before being allowed off the 'naughty step' by his boss, Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodson). Saunders is seen off to work by his wife (Michelle Monaghan, Mrs. Hunt from the Mission Impossible films) but his dull day's work is not going to go as planned thanks to the fanatical Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Themo Melikidze) and his compliant but bullied brother Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff). The pair plant the bombs along Boylston Street, wreaking havoc on American soil, and a massive man-hunt ensues that will see other lives impacted irrevocably before it's over.
The storytelling is reminiscent of 70's films like "Airport" and "The Towering Inferno" in introducing us to a wide range of characters at the start of the film, without knowing how they will later be placed into the jigsaw. Examples are Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash", "La La Land") of the Watertown police department who gets unexpectedly drawn into the action when chaos descends on his sleepy Boston neighborhood, and Chinese student Dun Meng (Jimmy O. Yang in a film debut) who has an unbelievable story of first-hand contact with the bombers.
Leading the FBI investigation is Richard DesLauriers (the prolific Kevin Bacon). Unfortunately I always muddle up Bacon with Wahlberg (it must be something about the facial features) so it's not helpful having them in the same film!
Even though I knew (albeit vaguely) all of the details of the bombing and the subsequent events, the film successfully made me feel tense throughout. Some of the set-piece action sequences – particularly the showdown in Watertown – are particularly well done. Given the number of rounds of ammo let off and the home-made grenades being lobbed, it is astounding that dozens of officers were not killed. The film is highly respectful towards the victims of the atrocity, with one of the most moving moments of the film being a silent vigil over one of the victims by a State Trooper (Billy Donahue).
Wahlberg in particular gives a great performance, with his emotional post-traumatic breakdown scene with Monaghan being his best acting performance in years. However, it is Wahlberg's character that is my major problem with the film. Unlike most of the other characters, who are based on their real-life counterparts, Tommy Saunders is a fictional composite of multiple real-life police officers, and his involvement in each and every part of the drama strained credibility to breaking point for me. It would have been far more effective, in my view, to stick nearer to reality and have a range of other cameos step into those roles.
There is a tendency (for this British viewer at least) for the film to overreach with its stirring patriotic message in the closing scenes, and there was the predictable trotting out of the 'real life' photos and videos in the finale, albeit that some of these are movingly portrayed. Apart from those reservations, this is a solidly well-made piece of docufiction that is enjoyable throughout.
Just a warning to sensitive viewers that there are obviously some scenes of bodily injury included: if grading on as scale where "Hacksaw Ridge" is a 10 and "Saving Private Ryan" an 8, then "Patriot's Day" would rate about a 7.
(For the graphical version of this review, and to comment on it, please visit bob-the-movie-man.com).
Mark Wahlberg ("Deepwater Horizon", "Ted") plays senior Boston homicide cop Tommy Saunders. He's on menial duties after a past indiscretion, but has just one last day stewarding the finish line of the Boston marathon before being allowed off the 'naughty step' by his boss, Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodson). Saunders is seen off to work by his wife (Michelle Monaghan, Mrs. Hunt from the Mission Impossible films) but his dull day's work is not going to go as planned thanks to the fanatical Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Themo Melikidze) and his compliant but bullied brother Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff). The pair plant the bombs along Boylston Street, wreaking havoc on American soil, and a massive man-hunt ensues that will see other lives impacted irrevocably before it's over.
The storytelling is reminiscent of 70's films like "Airport" and "The Towering Inferno" in introducing us to a wide range of characters at the start of the film, without knowing how they will later be placed into the jigsaw. Examples are Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash", "La La Land") of the Watertown police department who gets unexpectedly drawn into the action when chaos descends on his sleepy Boston neighborhood, and Chinese student Dun Meng (Jimmy O. Yang in a film debut) who has an unbelievable story of first-hand contact with the bombers.
Leading the FBI investigation is Richard DesLauriers (the prolific Kevin Bacon). Unfortunately I always muddle up Bacon with Wahlberg (it must be something about the facial features) so it's not helpful having them in the same film!
Even though I knew (albeit vaguely) all of the details of the bombing and the subsequent events, the film successfully made me feel tense throughout. Some of the set-piece action sequences – particularly the showdown in Watertown – are particularly well done. Given the number of rounds of ammo let off and the home-made grenades being lobbed, it is astounding that dozens of officers were not killed. The film is highly respectful towards the victims of the atrocity, with one of the most moving moments of the film being a silent vigil over one of the victims by a State Trooper (Billy Donahue).
Wahlberg in particular gives a great performance, with his emotional post-traumatic breakdown scene with Monaghan being his best acting performance in years. However, it is Wahlberg's character that is my major problem with the film. Unlike most of the other characters, who are based on their real-life counterparts, Tommy Saunders is a fictional composite of multiple real-life police officers, and his involvement in each and every part of the drama strained credibility to breaking point for me. It would have been far more effective, in my view, to stick nearer to reality and have a range of other cameos step into those roles.
There is a tendency (for this British viewer at least) for the film to overreach with its stirring patriotic message in the closing scenes, and there was the predictable trotting out of the 'real life' photos and videos in the finale, albeit that some of these are movingly portrayed. Apart from those reservations, this is a solidly well-made piece of docufiction that is enjoyable throughout.
Just a warning to sensitive viewers that there are obviously some scenes of bodily injury included: if grading on as scale where "Hacksaw Ridge" is a 10 and "Saving Private Ryan" an 8, then "Patriot's Day" would rate about a 7.
(For the graphical version of this review, and to comment on it, please visit bob-the-movie-man.com).
Reeks of Opportunism
bkrauser-81-31106415 January 2017
What is this movie trying to say? I ask without a desire to be controversial or contrarian towards the vast ocean of critics and filmgoers who loved this film. I'm aware of the craftsmanship involved in a film like this, I'm aware of the feats it likely took to keep this film tasteful and lord knows that to some, this movie is going to feel like a satisfactory catharsis. In interviews director Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg have stated the film should be seen as a movie about a city coming together to fight evil. "The more research I did, the more I realized it really was an example of a community working together" said Berg. But despite good intentions and diplomatic words (or lip service depending on how close you are to this), at the end of the day I still need to ask myself, what really, is the point here?
The main story of Patriots Day needs no retelling. I'm sure a lot of Americans are acutely aware of where they were on April 15, 2013; certainly every Bostonian is. The dramatic arc of the movie and part of what makes the movie so "tasteful" is it bends and weaves through the lives of different people intimately involved in the terrorist plot. Such people include Patrick Downes (O'Shea) and Jessica Kensky (Brosnahan), a young couple injured by the first explosion; Officer Sean Collier (Picking), the MIT policeman who was shot and killed in the line of duty; Chinese national Dun Meng (Yang) who was briefly held hostage by the bombers and Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (Simmons) who brought down the elder of the Tsarnaev brothers.
Then of course there's Mark Wahlberg who plays the very fictional and very chuckle-headed Tommy Saunders (Wahlberg); a Boston cop whose story, I think, is meant to serve as connective tissue. His character provides a very insidious discord; not only because his inclusion in everything from the bombing, to the shootout, to the final arrest is downright serendipitous, but because he pulls focus in order to rationalize vigilante justice. He waxes poetically about moral absolutes, gets in the face of investigative brass, jumps every preordained hoop that gets him closer to the bad guys and still has time to weep over the aftermath of the attack. Come to think of it, Wahlberg's not just connective tissue, he's the whole f***ing box and at some point in the film his mugging just stops becoming forgivable.
The other odious element of the film is the inclusion, exploration and exploitation of the Tsarnaev brothers played by Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze. They are introduced amid a flurry of intros in the first ten minutes - the score bellowing in minor keys as Tamerlan (Melikidze) watches ISIS videos while consuming Cheerios. Now while there's no inherent problem with heavily inferring these guys are, in fact the bad guys, the movie is supposedly intended to be "about Boston". So why include these characters at all? What insights can be gained about the grit and determination of Beantown from a pair of sad, pathetic, anti-social wannabe terrorists? Nothing - unless the goal of their inclusion is to exploit our fears and make them something more than a pair of sad, pathetic, anti-social wannabe terrorists.
To that end the film does a pretty fine job being a taut, story beat conscious piece of bluster that elevates what was in reality a messy, painstaking investigation into a simplistic fight between good vs. evil. Meanwhile the Tsarnaev clowns and to a lesser extent the elder's wife (Benoist) are all portrayed as the apex of storybook evil. The kind of evil that only loosely wears a human face. It's a tact that despite being easily digestible is immediately complicated when you consider the younger Tsarnaev is awaiting an appeal of his death sentence and the wife (whom the movie heavily implies knew everything), is still around and bracing for a new glut of death threats.
It's interesting to note that Patriots Day is the result of two separate scripts combined to make one big compromised movie. And while you can tell great pains were exercised in the service of this film, the end result still feels like a tug-o-war. There's the fictional composite lead and the true-to-life ensemble. There's the genre clichés artlessly retrofitted with the honest human elements. There's the story of hope in the face of terror, shadowed by an agenda that cheapens the whole ordeal. What's truly lost in the smoke, mirrors and Markie Mark chest beating is the actual story of Boston. A story that could have yielded a rich civic mosaic. Instead what we got was a movie that just reeks of opportunism.
The main story of Patriots Day needs no retelling. I'm sure a lot of Americans are acutely aware of where they were on April 15, 2013; certainly every Bostonian is. The dramatic arc of the movie and part of what makes the movie so "tasteful" is it bends and weaves through the lives of different people intimately involved in the terrorist plot. Such people include Patrick Downes (O'Shea) and Jessica Kensky (Brosnahan), a young couple injured by the first explosion; Officer Sean Collier (Picking), the MIT policeman who was shot and killed in the line of duty; Chinese national Dun Meng (Yang) who was briefly held hostage by the bombers and Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (Simmons) who brought down the elder of the Tsarnaev brothers.
Then of course there's Mark Wahlberg who plays the very fictional and very chuckle-headed Tommy Saunders (Wahlberg); a Boston cop whose story, I think, is meant to serve as connective tissue. His character provides a very insidious discord; not only because his inclusion in everything from the bombing, to the shootout, to the final arrest is downright serendipitous, but because he pulls focus in order to rationalize vigilante justice. He waxes poetically about moral absolutes, gets in the face of investigative brass, jumps every preordained hoop that gets him closer to the bad guys and still has time to weep over the aftermath of the attack. Come to think of it, Wahlberg's not just connective tissue, he's the whole f***ing box and at some point in the film his mugging just stops becoming forgivable.
The other odious element of the film is the inclusion, exploration and exploitation of the Tsarnaev brothers played by Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze. They are introduced amid a flurry of intros in the first ten minutes - the score bellowing in minor keys as Tamerlan (Melikidze) watches ISIS videos while consuming Cheerios. Now while there's no inherent problem with heavily inferring these guys are, in fact the bad guys, the movie is supposedly intended to be "about Boston". So why include these characters at all? What insights can be gained about the grit and determination of Beantown from a pair of sad, pathetic, anti-social wannabe terrorists? Nothing - unless the goal of their inclusion is to exploit our fears and make them something more than a pair of sad, pathetic, anti-social wannabe terrorists.
To that end the film does a pretty fine job being a taut, story beat conscious piece of bluster that elevates what was in reality a messy, painstaking investigation into a simplistic fight between good vs. evil. Meanwhile the Tsarnaev clowns and to a lesser extent the elder's wife (Benoist) are all portrayed as the apex of storybook evil. The kind of evil that only loosely wears a human face. It's a tact that despite being easily digestible is immediately complicated when you consider the younger Tsarnaev is awaiting an appeal of his death sentence and the wife (whom the movie heavily implies knew everything), is still around and bracing for a new glut of death threats.
It's interesting to note that Patriots Day is the result of two separate scripts combined to make one big compromised movie. And while you can tell great pains were exercised in the service of this film, the end result still feels like a tug-o-war. There's the fictional composite lead and the true-to-life ensemble. There's the genre clichés artlessly retrofitted with the honest human elements. There's the story of hope in the face of terror, shadowed by an agenda that cheapens the whole ordeal. What's truly lost in the smoke, mirrors and Markie Mark chest beating is the actual story of Boston. A story that could have yielded a rich civic mosaic. Instead what we got was a movie that just reeks of opportunism.
People are reacting to the theme not the quality of the movie
imdb-2122617 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
People who are giving this movie a higher rating are most likely reacting to the theme of the movie and not being objective about the film itself. I rented the flick, without knowing anything about the film or who directed it. I knew of the story of course, but the cast was good, and it looked interesting so I rented it. My opinion was cast blindly and honestly. I only looked up the film later to see the details.
The movie plays exactly like a made-for-TV movie. It follows the formula to a tee. Peter Berg has done a lot of TV work so it makes sense.
Virtually the whole movie was done with hand-held cameras which ensures a jittery constantly moving picture with the exception of the countless aerial shots of Boston. That's really lazy.. The music is a perfect blueprint for the music that is played on TV documentary to unnecessarily boost drama. Again Berg has done a lot of documentaries, so again it makes sense.
There is one preachy scene with Wahlberg on the tailgate of a truck that actually made me roll my eyes.. I thought really? Can it be more contrived?
John Goodman's character didn't really have anything to do..
J.K. Simmons character is aloof and mostly uninterested and has one of the more ridiculous scenes in the movie.
Michelle Monaghan really didn't have a part either.
The performances were good, and I love these actors. But there is some big talent wasted on parts that anyone could have played and we wouldn't have noticed.
The movie pays tribute to law enforcement, but until the end, they are made to look pretty incompetent and at times, witless. I couldn't understand how that characterization was allowed given the purpose of the movie. It was puzzling.
The tribute to the actual victims was very nice. I certainly felt for those people.
The movie plays exactly like a made-for-TV movie. It follows the formula to a tee. Peter Berg has done a lot of TV work so it makes sense.
Virtually the whole movie was done with hand-held cameras which ensures a jittery constantly moving picture with the exception of the countless aerial shots of Boston. That's really lazy.. The music is a perfect blueprint for the music that is played on TV documentary to unnecessarily boost drama. Again Berg has done a lot of documentaries, so again it makes sense.
There is one preachy scene with Wahlberg on the tailgate of a truck that actually made me roll my eyes.. I thought really? Can it be more contrived?
John Goodman's character didn't really have anything to do..
J.K. Simmons character is aloof and mostly uninterested and has one of the more ridiculous scenes in the movie.
Michelle Monaghan really didn't have a part either.
The performances were good, and I love these actors. But there is some big talent wasted on parts that anyone could have played and we wouldn't have noticed.
The movie pays tribute to law enforcement, but until the end, they are made to look pretty incompetent and at times, witless. I couldn't understand how that characterization was allowed given the purpose of the movie. It was puzzling.
The tribute to the actual victims was very nice. I certainly felt for those people.
Decent reenacting about the Boston marathon massacre focused on a relentless policeman chasing down the terrorists
ma-cortes18 April 2023
The title refers to Patriots' Day, the Massachusetts state holiday on which the Boston Marathon is held. The movie begins on April 14, 2013, a day before the marathon. The next day, brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev detonate two bombs during the Boston Marathon, causing widespread panic . A young couple, Patrick Downes (Christopher O'Shea) and Jessica Kensky (Rachel Brosnahan) , are injured and taken to separate hospitals, where they are both required to have their legs amputated. Steve Woolfenden, a family man, is also injured and separated from his toddler son, Leo, who is taken by the police to a safe location. While a stubborn police cop Tommy Sanders (Mark Walhberg , whose role is a composite of many Boston cops who worked the marathon, and aided in the manhunt following the bombing) -married to Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan)- pursues mercilessly the two terrorists. In nearby Watertown, Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (JK Simmons) also goes after the asassins. Once things have settled in the area and everyone has been cleared out, the police meet with FBI Special Agent in Charge Rick Deslauriers (Kevin Bacon). The inside story of the world's greatest manhunt !. True heroes !. True strength !. From the director of Lone Survivor and Deepwater Horizon !. Based on true events !.
Patriots Day is a 2016 American action drama film about the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 and the subsequent terrorist manhunt , including a lot of stock footage from the actual events. Nicely directed by Peter Berg and written by Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, the film is based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. This thrilling and interesting movie deals with the Boston Marathon attack, the film narrates that shocking event through the story of police sergeant Tommy Sanders, a fictitious character inspired by three real police officers who intervened in the persecution carried out throughout the city to hunt down the guilty of the bloody attack, which left three fatalities and more than 260 wounded.
Mark Wahlberg produced the film along with Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson, Michael Radutzky, Hutch Parker and Dorothy Aufiero. Principal photography began on March 29, 2016, and was conducted in New York City; Boston; Quincy, Massachusetts; Los Angeles; New Orleans; and Philadelphia , being well photograhed by director of cinematography Tobias A. Schliessler . Academy Award-winning composers and Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were hired to write the musical score for the film, composing an adequate and tense soundtrack. The motion picture was competently directed by Peter Berg, it was released in Boston, New York and Los Angeles on December 21, 2016, followed by a nationwide expansion on January 13, 2017. It received positive reviews for Berg's direction and the performances of its cast,and was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2016. Well directed by Peter Berg , Patriots day marks the third collaboration between Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg after the films Deepwater Horizon (2016) and Lone Survivor (2013), all of them based on true events. Peter Berg is an American actor, director, writer, and producer. His first role was in the Adam Rifkin road movie Never on Tuesday (1988). He went on to star in the World War 2 film A Midnight Clear (1992). Roles in Fire in the Sky (1993) and Cop Land (1997) followed, and the Tom Cruise films Collateral (2004) and Lions for Lambs (2007). Peter has since moved behind the camera, directing films such as as Very Bad Things (1998) and Hancock (2008). He has also turned pen-to-paper and scripted many projects including Friday Night Lights (2004) and The losers (2010). He is best known on-screen for his role as Dr. Billy Kronk in Chicago Hope (1994). Rating : 7/10 , better than average.
Patriots Day is a 2016 American action drama film about the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 and the subsequent terrorist manhunt , including a lot of stock footage from the actual events. Nicely directed by Peter Berg and written by Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, the film is based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. This thrilling and interesting movie deals with the Boston Marathon attack, the film narrates that shocking event through the story of police sergeant Tommy Sanders, a fictitious character inspired by three real police officers who intervened in the persecution carried out throughout the city to hunt down the guilty of the bloody attack, which left three fatalities and more than 260 wounded.
Mark Wahlberg produced the film along with Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson, Michael Radutzky, Hutch Parker and Dorothy Aufiero. Principal photography began on March 29, 2016, and was conducted in New York City; Boston; Quincy, Massachusetts; Los Angeles; New Orleans; and Philadelphia , being well photograhed by director of cinematography Tobias A. Schliessler . Academy Award-winning composers and Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were hired to write the musical score for the film, composing an adequate and tense soundtrack. The motion picture was competently directed by Peter Berg, it was released in Boston, New York and Los Angeles on December 21, 2016, followed by a nationwide expansion on January 13, 2017. It received positive reviews for Berg's direction and the performances of its cast,and was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2016. Well directed by Peter Berg , Patriots day marks the third collaboration between Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg after the films Deepwater Horizon (2016) and Lone Survivor (2013), all of them based on true events. Peter Berg is an American actor, director, writer, and producer. His first role was in the Adam Rifkin road movie Never on Tuesday (1988). He went on to star in the World War 2 film A Midnight Clear (1992). Roles in Fire in the Sky (1993) and Cop Land (1997) followed, and the Tom Cruise films Collateral (2004) and Lions for Lambs (2007). Peter has since moved behind the camera, directing films such as as Very Bad Things (1998) and Hancock (2008). He has also turned pen-to-paper and scripted many projects including Friday Night Lights (2004) and The losers (2010). He is best known on-screen for his role as Dr. Billy Kronk in Chicago Hope (1994). Rating : 7/10 , better than average.
Very well done in many ways!
UniqueParticle8 March 2019
I wanna start by saying I didn't know much about the actual events, I just know I was saddened when I heard about it. I was blown away; it was phenomenally filmed and very intriguing. I'm quite surprised it wasn't up for major awards. I cried a little during the bombing bit and I felt bad for what a lot of people had to go through.
There also seemed to be others complaining about things missing; I'm not sure but I think Peter Bergs take on everything is very intense, especially the thrilling bits hunting down the terrorists. I say just appreciate it the way it is or don't and if anything was added I think it was done perfectly.
Sorry about the way I describe things I do the best I can I'm a little quirky.
There also seemed to be others complaining about things missing; I'm not sure but I think Peter Bergs take on everything is very intense, especially the thrilling bits hunting down the terrorists. I say just appreciate it the way it is or don't and if anything was added I think it was done perfectly.
Sorry about the way I describe things I do the best I can I'm a little quirky.
Recounting of the 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line.
TxMike25 February 2018
My wife and I watched this at home on BluRay from our public library. The events happened just under 5 years ago and all the news coverage is still pretty fresh in our minds.
What is most interesting are all the people and all the activities behind the scenes that allowed the relatively early identification of the Tsarnaev brothers as prime suspects, and the relatively quick work to track them down and prevent their plans for bombs in the Times Square areas of Manhattan.
Mark Wahlberg has the lead role as Tommy Saunders who we find out in the extras was a composite character, drawn from several officers working the incidents and investigations.
Good movie of a series of despicable events.
What is most interesting are all the people and all the activities behind the scenes that allowed the relatively early identification of the Tsarnaev brothers as prime suspects, and the relatively quick work to track them down and prevent their plans for bombs in the Times Square areas of Manhattan.
Mark Wahlberg has the lead role as Tommy Saunders who we find out in the extras was a composite character, drawn from several officers working the incidents and investigations.
Good movie of a series of despicable events.
spirit
ferguson-612 January 2017
Greetings again from the darkness. Is it too soon? If not, is it too painful to revisit? Even if the time is right, is injecting a fictitious supercop into the horrific events an acceptable approach? Every viewer of the film will have their own answers to these questions, but clearly writer/director Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor) and Boston area native Mark Wahlberg believed now is the time and that this is the best way to re-create this catastrophe and its fallout.
Wahlberg plays Tommy Saunders, a Boston detective kicked back to uniform duty as penance for a run-in with another cop. His character is evidently a composite of multiple cops and first responders, and though he is the center of the film, the character is the weak link. He's some type of supercop who never sleeps and manages to be literally everywhere something is happening either the Boston Marathon finish line, FBI control center, the hospital interviewing survivors, or cruising the streets with his spotlight tracking down the bad guys.
Beyond Wahlberg's character, the film does a remarkable job at re-creating the tragic events, the emotional and physical fallout, and the urgent law enforcement manhunt. Since it's been less than 4 years, most every piece of this is fresh in our minds. We follow along from when the street cameras are used to identify the suspects all the way through the final capture from the backyard boat.
Another thing the film does well is tell the stories of certain individuals who were impacted. We experience the emotions of Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), the preparedness and cool of Watertown Police Chief Jeffrey Pugliese (JK Simmons), the highs and lows of MIT Officer Sean Collier (Jake Picking), the terror and courage of captive Dun Meng (Jimmy O Yang), and the focus and conflicts of Governor Deval Patrick (Michael Beach) and FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon). There is also the story of survivors Jessica Kensky (Rachel Brosnahan) and Christopher O'Shea (Patrick Downes), and a few others who we get to know a little bit.
The bombers/terrorists/brothers are played by Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze, and no effort is made to sympathize or explain their actions. The closest we get is an argument in the apartment with the wife (played by Melissa Benoist) over the wrong type of milk. I will not use the real names here as I don't believe in providing any publicity for such creators of evil.
The film successfully establishes the "normal" start to what seemed to be a "normal" day. Of course, April 13 2013 turned out to be anything but. We hear the Newtown tribute at the opening of the race, and we see David Ortiz with his color proclamation at Fenway Park. The music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is always spot on with the mood, and the last 10 minutes are by far the most emotional we hear from the real life survivors, first responders and others so crucial to that time. I may believe that this story would best be told in documentary form, but there is no denying that it's a reminder of the power of love, and the spirit of Boston and America.
Wahlberg plays Tommy Saunders, a Boston detective kicked back to uniform duty as penance for a run-in with another cop. His character is evidently a composite of multiple cops and first responders, and though he is the center of the film, the character is the weak link. He's some type of supercop who never sleeps and manages to be literally everywhere something is happening either the Boston Marathon finish line, FBI control center, the hospital interviewing survivors, or cruising the streets with his spotlight tracking down the bad guys.
Beyond Wahlberg's character, the film does a remarkable job at re-creating the tragic events, the emotional and physical fallout, and the urgent law enforcement manhunt. Since it's been less than 4 years, most every piece of this is fresh in our minds. We follow along from when the street cameras are used to identify the suspects all the way through the final capture from the backyard boat.
Another thing the film does well is tell the stories of certain individuals who were impacted. We experience the emotions of Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), the preparedness and cool of Watertown Police Chief Jeffrey Pugliese (JK Simmons), the highs and lows of MIT Officer Sean Collier (Jake Picking), the terror and courage of captive Dun Meng (Jimmy O Yang), and the focus and conflicts of Governor Deval Patrick (Michael Beach) and FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon). There is also the story of survivors Jessica Kensky (Rachel Brosnahan) and Christopher O'Shea (Patrick Downes), and a few others who we get to know a little bit.
The bombers/terrorists/brothers are played by Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze, and no effort is made to sympathize or explain their actions. The closest we get is an argument in the apartment with the wife (played by Melissa Benoist) over the wrong type of milk. I will not use the real names here as I don't believe in providing any publicity for such creators of evil.
The film successfully establishes the "normal" start to what seemed to be a "normal" day. Of course, April 13 2013 turned out to be anything but. We hear the Newtown tribute at the opening of the race, and we see David Ortiz with his color proclamation at Fenway Park. The music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is always spot on with the mood, and the last 10 minutes are by far the most emotional we hear from the real life survivors, first responders and others so crucial to that time. I may believe that this story would best be told in documentary form, but there is no denying that it's a reminder of the power of love, and the spirit of Boston and America.
Still a great film even if we know what happened
paulmorrison20034 October 2023
I must admit it has been sometime since the Boston Marathon bombing and I honestly couldn't remember all that happened on that awful day.
It's a good film that actually mixes real events and comments with the cast and certainly keeps you on your seat until the conclusion of the film.
Didn't want to say too much as I know I would only spoil it for you guys who want to watch the movie.
Mark Wahlberg plays the part of a police officer very well and is constantly up and down with his emotions during the film.
The film is very exciting and ruthless at times but is very close the facts of this awful event and really tests your memory to see how much of the original incident.
It's a good film that actually mixes real events and comments with the cast and certainly keeps you on your seat until the conclusion of the film.
Didn't want to say too much as I know I would only spoil it for you guys who want to watch the movie.
Mark Wahlberg plays the part of a police officer very well and is constantly up and down with his emotions during the film.
The film is very exciting and ruthless at times but is very close the facts of this awful event and really tests your memory to see how much of the original incident.
Tolerance is Patriotic
kgprophet29 March 2017
What does it say about this film that went from possible Oscar contender to box office flop? Or perhaps, the question is, what does it say about us? I did not have any interest to see "World Trade Center" when it was released. To a degree, I felt this was making money off of tragedy. Maybe too soon after the event. I also didn't care to have the entertainment options now being guided by terrorists. We can certainly expect after a high profile tragedy; the special news show, the books, and then the movie.
I was open to checking this film out because I was willing to see the director's depiction of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. That film made for an all-out thriller action flick, but yet was able to stay within the boundaries of realism. Now after seeing Patriot's Day, I think director Peter Berg might be trying to imitate Michael Bay with a thousand camera angles and slick editing. It also tries to be a little too convenient by giving our leading man a chance to yuck things up while being at the right place at the right time to save the day.
Then there is a strange scene where Mark Wahlberg suddenly becomes psychic and knows which shops the terror suspect walked into. Wahlberg is conveniently placed in the middle of all the major events that were part of this incident. This is done for convenience, but that ultimately does disservice to the factual basis of the story. I did enjoy the energetic pace of the story, both in the build-up and manhunt afterward. Little time is spent setting up the two brothers who instigated the bombing, other than older brother was the more radicalised of the two.
Was Wahlberg's character either an amalgam of other characters or just good ole' "say hi to your ma" Marky Mark? Either way, his inclusion in this whole incident was like Kevin Costner becoming the main character during the Cuban Missile Crisis (according to "Thirteen Days"). As for the supporting characters, they don't ever get to say much. Too bad John Goodman's Boston accent is atrocious. Kevin Bacon fits well into his role. Screen time is given to the victims, including before the incident. These scenes thankfully are not used for foreshadowing, and actually do a good job of humanising them.
The theme of this movie is camaraderie. There is only a little bickering about the direction of the investigation, and in the process portrays the City of Boston as a fist- pumping patriotic love fest. I felt the manipulative music was deliberately used to push the sentimentality. There is an epilogue that runs too long that tries too hard to squeeze tears out of the audience. I think there could have been a more documentary approach to this sequence, and not use the music as a shameless attempt to push our buttons.
This film received very favourable reviews, and perhaps some critics felt trapped in recommending it because of the sensitive nature of the film. Giving this movie a negative review could be seen as a slight on the victims, etc. I compare this movie to the excellent "United 93", which chose to use no music, and did not have a fictional charismatic lead guy be the narrative thread. "United 93" chose realism over sentimentality and still was a riveting human drama.
I must say I agree with the extra message at the end of the film that WE ARE STILL A NATION OF TOLERANCE, and was the responsible thing for the filmmakers to make sure those who watch understand the importance of that message in our current political climate.
I ultimately decided to wait until the DVD came out. The longer running time and mixing of fiction with fact in the narrative was tolerable, but also made me not regret seeing it sooner. I believe this film will stand the test of time, so it's worth a look.
I was open to checking this film out because I was willing to see the director's depiction of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. That film made for an all-out thriller action flick, but yet was able to stay within the boundaries of realism. Now after seeing Patriot's Day, I think director Peter Berg might be trying to imitate Michael Bay with a thousand camera angles and slick editing. It also tries to be a little too convenient by giving our leading man a chance to yuck things up while being at the right place at the right time to save the day.
Then there is a strange scene where Mark Wahlberg suddenly becomes psychic and knows which shops the terror suspect walked into. Wahlberg is conveniently placed in the middle of all the major events that were part of this incident. This is done for convenience, but that ultimately does disservice to the factual basis of the story. I did enjoy the energetic pace of the story, both in the build-up and manhunt afterward. Little time is spent setting up the two brothers who instigated the bombing, other than older brother was the more radicalised of the two.
Was Wahlberg's character either an amalgam of other characters or just good ole' "say hi to your ma" Marky Mark? Either way, his inclusion in this whole incident was like Kevin Costner becoming the main character during the Cuban Missile Crisis (according to "Thirteen Days"). As for the supporting characters, they don't ever get to say much. Too bad John Goodman's Boston accent is atrocious. Kevin Bacon fits well into his role. Screen time is given to the victims, including before the incident. These scenes thankfully are not used for foreshadowing, and actually do a good job of humanising them.
The theme of this movie is camaraderie. There is only a little bickering about the direction of the investigation, and in the process portrays the City of Boston as a fist- pumping patriotic love fest. I felt the manipulative music was deliberately used to push the sentimentality. There is an epilogue that runs too long that tries too hard to squeeze tears out of the audience. I think there could have been a more documentary approach to this sequence, and not use the music as a shameless attempt to push our buttons.
This film received very favourable reviews, and perhaps some critics felt trapped in recommending it because of the sensitive nature of the film. Giving this movie a negative review could be seen as a slight on the victims, etc. I compare this movie to the excellent "United 93", which chose to use no music, and did not have a fictional charismatic lead guy be the narrative thread. "United 93" chose realism over sentimentality and still was a riveting human drama.
I must say I agree with the extra message at the end of the film that WE ARE STILL A NATION OF TOLERANCE, and was the responsible thing for the filmmakers to make sure those who watch understand the importance of that message in our current political climate.
I ultimately decided to wait until the DVD came out. The longer running time and mixing of fiction with fact in the narrative was tolerable, but also made me not regret seeing it sooner. I believe this film will stand the test of time, so it's worth a look.
To all the morons that said the bombing was fake.
mbeaupre26 January 2017
Tell that to my friend who's 8 year old son died that day during the day. Same guy that also had daughter lose her leg during that bombing. I have several other friends that were there that day that saw the bomb go off from a relatively safe distance. The fact that you knuckleheads piece together various bits of (mis)information and concoct stories rationalizing why you believe it was a hoax is utterly ridiculous and extremely offensive to those people who were injured/died and to their families.
Get a life conspiracy theorists.
The movie was relatively well done. It started a bit slow as I thought it was going to be very predictable but about halfway through, it took some turns that kept you on your toes. Being from Massachusetts I typically love Boston based movies. And this does not disappoint. It was probably my favorite Boston based movie.
Get a life conspiracy theorists.
The movie was relatively well done. It started a bit slow as I thought it was going to be very predictable but about halfway through, it took some turns that kept you on your toes. Being from Massachusetts I typically love Boston based movies. And this does not disappoint. It was probably my favorite Boston based movie.
A Mixed Bag- Entertaining and Compelling, but Disappoints Overall
heisenberg1214 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This movie comes out at awards season as an apparent surprise contender for the Oscars. It certainly had the source material and some substance to work with. So I went in hoping to be a believer.
This is a movie that gets mixed reviews: it's both good and bad.
The good is the fine direction and staging of the events that occurred. They were done with keen attention to detail and impressive accuracy to how the events transpired. Therefore, it makes for an effective action movie and thriller. The first hour of the movie is very good; one of the best first halves of any movie I've witnessed this year. It also does an effective job holding your attention, building suspense, and feeling for the unfortunate victims of the tragedy and carnage that occurred.
But the film falls short of greatness and even short of being anything special for the genre, a genre that most recently includes much better films like Zero Dark Thirty. These are basically recent manhunt movies for terrorists in events that only took place within three to five years ago before their release. Other examples are United 93 and to some extent, World Trade Center.
So don't go in expecting a masterpiece or anything mind blowing. However, it is a decent movie.
It does many things right but also many wrong. While it was nice to acknowledge the pride for the Boston PD and LE heroes involved in succeeding in solving the case, that alone isn't enough to make a movie great, obviously due to technicalities and all the other filmmaking aspects.
Wahlberg, while a likable guy trying his best, sort of was a distraction and not well cast as an imaginary Boston cop who was there that day and helped investigate the case. He's "okay" in the role, but a better character actor wouldn't have been as much of a distraction and probably more believable.
Then there's the long drawn out real life interviews at the end. There's a few movies with these this year, but they only show a handful of real life clips or summaries of "what happened to...". This one has several minutes of real life interviews and interviewees, from survivors to police officers to politicians and others involved, and it's just all over the place. It came off as amateur overall even though it was nice to hear from the survivors. It was just way too long and awkward for a feature film.
Last but not least, while realism was one of the film's biggest strengths as far as how events happened and their staging, including accurate depictions and casting for the Tsarnaev brothers and streets of Watertown the final showdown took place, I was hoping that if they went as far as to create a fictitious character in Wahlberg that they also might be bold and daring enough to tie in an alternative ending for Tamerlan; on the night it happened, live news video showed a naked handcuffed young man being escorted by LE and the reporter claimed that was the suspect and he was in custody (you can even look it up on YouTube- it looks identical to him), and an outside observer can put 2 and 2 together and at least picture and theorize that the PD killed him. Instead, they went with the recorded story that Dzokhar, his brother, ran him over. Of course it would have been controversial and might have led to possible backlash from many arenas, but that would have been compelling. Like I said, if they're going to make up a main character, why not add a surprise twist that may have very well happened according to video footage of the news to people who watched that night. Instead, it came off just a tad predictable.
Overall, though, it was a pretty good movie.
6/10
This is a movie that gets mixed reviews: it's both good and bad.
The good is the fine direction and staging of the events that occurred. They were done with keen attention to detail and impressive accuracy to how the events transpired. Therefore, it makes for an effective action movie and thriller. The first hour of the movie is very good; one of the best first halves of any movie I've witnessed this year. It also does an effective job holding your attention, building suspense, and feeling for the unfortunate victims of the tragedy and carnage that occurred.
But the film falls short of greatness and even short of being anything special for the genre, a genre that most recently includes much better films like Zero Dark Thirty. These are basically recent manhunt movies for terrorists in events that only took place within three to five years ago before their release. Other examples are United 93 and to some extent, World Trade Center.
So don't go in expecting a masterpiece or anything mind blowing. However, it is a decent movie.
It does many things right but also many wrong. While it was nice to acknowledge the pride for the Boston PD and LE heroes involved in succeeding in solving the case, that alone isn't enough to make a movie great, obviously due to technicalities and all the other filmmaking aspects.
Wahlberg, while a likable guy trying his best, sort of was a distraction and not well cast as an imaginary Boston cop who was there that day and helped investigate the case. He's "okay" in the role, but a better character actor wouldn't have been as much of a distraction and probably more believable.
Then there's the long drawn out real life interviews at the end. There's a few movies with these this year, but they only show a handful of real life clips or summaries of "what happened to...". This one has several minutes of real life interviews and interviewees, from survivors to police officers to politicians and others involved, and it's just all over the place. It came off as amateur overall even though it was nice to hear from the survivors. It was just way too long and awkward for a feature film.
Last but not least, while realism was one of the film's biggest strengths as far as how events happened and their staging, including accurate depictions and casting for the Tsarnaev brothers and streets of Watertown the final showdown took place, I was hoping that if they went as far as to create a fictitious character in Wahlberg that they also might be bold and daring enough to tie in an alternative ending for Tamerlan; on the night it happened, live news video showed a naked handcuffed young man being escorted by LE and the reporter claimed that was the suspect and he was in custody (you can even look it up on YouTube- it looks identical to him), and an outside observer can put 2 and 2 together and at least picture and theorize that the PD killed him. Instead, they went with the recorded story that Dzokhar, his brother, ran him over. Of course it would have been controversial and might have led to possible backlash from many arenas, but that would have been compelling. Like I said, if they're going to make up a main character, why not add a surprise twist that may have very well happened according to video footage of the news to people who watched that night. Instead, it came off just a tad predictable.
Overall, though, it was a pretty good movie.
6/10
Great Movie
kadouglas-404693 July 2020
Too important for its own good at times
DanLawson1469 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
POSITIVES:
1) Wahlberg gives a career best performance in this film 2) Every scene with Wahlberg, Goodman and Bacon is excellent 3) The bombing scene and the action scenes are shot very gritty and realistic which is what a film like this needs
NEGATIVES:
1) It essentially has one large negative and that is that it's trying so hard to be important and impactful that it makes the film worse. Firstly, it's too long. There's no need for it to take half an hour before the bomb actually goes off. There are also too many unimportant characters. This links into the length but also with the importance of the film. There is too much time spent needlessly away from Bacon, Goodman and Wahlberg to follow characters that aren't that important. It seems that the only reason they featured these pointless characters so prominently was so that they could show the footage of the real life people at the end. For example, getting JK Simmons to play a superintendent that is only semi-important in one scene just so the real life superintendent could come on at the end. This is present throughout the film and hurts it a lot. This film should only be 90 minutes long and the extra 45 minutes is pointless padding out of pointless characters
1) Wahlberg gives a career best performance in this film 2) Every scene with Wahlberg, Goodman and Bacon is excellent 3) The bombing scene and the action scenes are shot very gritty and realistic which is what a film like this needs
NEGATIVES:
1) It essentially has one large negative and that is that it's trying so hard to be important and impactful that it makes the film worse. Firstly, it's too long. There's no need for it to take half an hour before the bomb actually goes off. There are also too many unimportant characters. This links into the length but also with the importance of the film. There is too much time spent needlessly away from Bacon, Goodman and Wahlberg to follow characters that aren't that important. It seems that the only reason they featured these pointless characters so prominently was so that they could show the footage of the real life people at the end. For example, getting JK Simmons to play a superintendent that is only semi-important in one scene just so the real life superintendent could come on at the end. This is present throughout the film and hurts it a lot. This film should only be 90 minutes long and the extra 45 minutes is pointless padding out of pointless characters
Off the pace
Lejink27 April 2018
For a film where the actors were obviously carefully selected for their resemblance to their real-life counterparts, (as is made clear by the introduction of the real participants near the end of the film), to pivot the action around an entirely fictitious character (Mark Wahlberg's ubiquitous police officer], surely had to be a mistake. I say ubiquitous because Wahlberg always seems to be Johnny-on-the-spot whenever anything significant happens in the action. There he is close by when the bombs go off, he's there just after the young Chinese boy is kidnapped and carjacked by the two bombers, he's also there at their shoot out with the cops and again when the authorities finally catch up with the fugitive younger brother.
Once you know this (it becomes obvious when there's no real life equivalent introduced for him at the end), you realise you've been manipulated as a viewer and it just weakens the whole premise of the film. Surely there were enough brave citizens and emergency services in Boston on the day of the incident without the need for this imaginary person.
Otherwise I couldn't say I was entirely gripped as I think I should have been by the depiction of proceedings as they were presented. Of course the story has to follow the real life sequence of events which I don't doubt it did, I just didn't think it was done in a very exciting or gripping way.
Fine to celebrate the everyday heroism of ordinary average people when confronted by the unexpected, criminal and dangerous, but stretching it to a two hour movie didn't come off here.
Once you know this (it becomes obvious when there's no real life equivalent introduced for him at the end), you realise you've been manipulated as a viewer and it just weakens the whole premise of the film. Surely there were enough brave citizens and emergency services in Boston on the day of the incident without the need for this imaginary person.
Otherwise I couldn't say I was entirely gripped as I think I should have been by the depiction of proceedings as they were presented. Of course the story has to follow the real life sequence of events which I don't doubt it did, I just didn't think it was done in a very exciting or gripping way.
Fine to celebrate the everyday heroism of ordinary average people when confronted by the unexpected, criminal and dangerous, but stretching it to a two hour movie didn't come off here.
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