By Noah Bell
Theme Editor
Patriots Day is an outstanding non-fiction movie that centers around the events leading up to and following the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings.
The movie is packed with a balanced amount of action, suspense, drama, and emotion. The roller coaster of emotions experienced by the viewer makes Patriots Day an early frontrunner for one of the best films of the year.
The movie follows Sgt. Tommy Saunders, a fictional member of the Boston Police Department. In the early afternoon of April 15, 2013, Saunders is posted to keep watch of the marathon finish line, when two bombs go off nearby, perpetrated by brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Saunders is one of the first responders and sees the grisly damage up close.
As the investigation into who the bombers unfolds, Saunders plays a key role, acting as both a witness and police officer. Meanwhile, the Tsarnaev brothers, who are the bombers, are attempting to get out of town.
The Tsarnaev brothers are eventually located as the suspects, and an extensive manhunt begins. When the brothers are stopped by police for being suspected of stealing a car, a massive gunfight ensues, which culminates with the death of older brother Tamerlan and the escape of Dzhokhar. Dzhokhar is eventually found a couple days later, and is taken into custody.
The exciting plot of the movie is one of its strongest points. Since it is based off of an actual event, there is not much room for creativity, but the filmmakers made every aspect of the story exhilarating. There was a constant, looming feeling of suspense throughout the movie that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat
The cinematography is fantastic, as the movie is a collection of both recreations shot for the movie and real-life surveillance and video tapes taken the day of the bombing. This gives a much greater sense of reality as to what actually happened, and the recreations are used to go into further detail and show what the videos from that day did not.
Overall, the characters were enjoyable and entertaining to watch. Almost all of the main characters were based off of real people who took a part in the investigation and the aftermath of the bombings, with the exception of the main character, Tommy Saunders. The acting was outstanding, as each actor became enveloped in their role perfectly.
The movie is definitely a riveting one. The gruesome scenes that take place after the bombing are moving because they shows how much this horrible event took from people as well as the kindness of others to help others in a time of need. The message of the theme is a very clear and important one. The film tells us that even events that seem to make us diverge further can actually help bring us closer as a community.
Overall, Patriots Day is a great movie whose exciting plot, creative cinematography, enjoyable characters, outstanding acting, and a moving and inspiring theme. This movie is a must-watch, as it is already one of the best films of the new year.
Patriots Day is rated R and is showing in theaters nationwide.
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