Patriots Day (2017) – Blu-ray Review

A powerful and emotional event, Patriots Day is among one of the best films so far this year.

With current events seeing the whole world over looking to band together in support and eradicate the threat and intimidation of terrorism, it seems rather apt that a true story of courage and bravery should be coming to our homes, with Peter Berg’s inspirational and powerful Patriots Day arriving on DVD and Blu-ray.

Patriots Day tells the fateful story of those individuals who were caught up in the tragic events of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Following police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg), we begin the film witnessing the preparations for the annual event, before tragedy strikes and the bombing occurs.

As the film follows the affected lives of various individuals caught up in the bombing, we find ourselves in the presence of the police forces as they look to track down those involved and a dangerous and unbelievable search through Boston gets underway. A powerful and hugely emotional journey, Patriots Day is an absolutely incredible journey and is undoubtedly one of the most impressive entries of the film calendar so far.

At the heart of Peter Berg’s drama is a real sense of respect and true human heart. All too often, true life tales of such events can appear heavy-handed and misjudged in their direction but Patriots Day is one of those examples where the utmost care and attention has been taken to portray such a tragic story. From the actual moment of the bombs going off and the chaos that would erupt, to the police force handling the search for the terrorists, Berg’s film remains a poignant, powerful and wholly engaging film without ever being forceful or unnatural.

The film is driven not only by this superb direction, but also by the exceptional performances on show. Boston local Mark Wahlberg once again shows that he can capture human emotion and drama with the greatest poise and precision, and no doubt his own personal connection with the event will have been a big driving force for his performance. Michelle Monaghan’s concerned wife is the perfect portrayal of the thousands of affected family members caught up in the event, while the likes of John Goodman and Kevin Bacon as the police personnel tasked with seeking out the terrorists are all on superb form.

Patriots Day is a film that is not only an affecting portrayal of one of history’s recent events of terror, but it is also a study on the strength and unity of a nation that is unmatched by any act that aims to take lives. The spirit of Boston Strong lives on with this incredible film and is an inspiration to all. If you don’t shed a tear by the close of Patriots Day then we’ll be very surprised – one of Peter Berg’s best films yet.

Patriots Day is available on DVD and Blu-ray from 26th June.