Ajojahti

After the tranquil introduction leading to the explosion, Patriots Day escalates in an exciting hunt for the bombers and, conversely, their attempt to get away. I don’t want to exaggerate, but I don’t think we’ve seen such an engaging, authentic street shootout since Michael Mann’s Heat. Berg recreates the events by mixing real documentary shots with a thriller movie, and whether he embellishes the story or not, the result looks great. It’s perfectly balanced in terms of character portrayal, narrative dynamics and the tolerability of the patriotic elements. At some moments, I was riveted to my seat. (27.01.2017)

Peter Berg finally graduated as a filmmaker with flying colours, spoiled only by Wahlberg, whom I didn't believe as a policeman. A lot of people here are praising the shootout, but I would single out other moments. In the beginning Berg gives a great dose of suspense, when you know what is coming but you are still on your toes, the insight into the FBI investigation was interesting (the whole reconstruction with hi-tech gadgets) and the scene of the interrogation of the wife of one of the terrorists was excellent. I didn't mind the pathos, that's just the way America is, proud. The final soaring speeches were somehow superfluous, I could have done without them. PS: Extra points for assuring us that terrorists are idiots who believe 9/11 was a plot by the US government. You don't have to go far to see that there are plenty of such morons walking around the world. Just read the reader comments on Novinky.cz and you’ll see that yes, this is a clear demonstration of the "flowering of the intellectual elite of the Czech nation". (30.04.2017)

Peter Berg's reputation with me has recovered a bit after the recent not very satisfying Deepwater Horizon, but Patriots Day still falls short of the pinnacle of his work. While it is a rather sensitive subject, I still find it odd to make a film about a terrorist attack where only three people died when there are far greater disasters happening in the world. But about the film: The pacing is good, the big shootout is stylish, the filming is solid, and Mark Wahlberg is classically fine again, so I'll give four stars for entertainment. 70% (06.02.2017)

The scenes of the Boston Marathon blast are really powerful in themselves and the subsequent chase with the terrorists works excellently, primarily the shootout in Watertown is polished and clearly true to life as much as was at all possible. It was maybe unnecessarily too full of pathos and characters (in some places the movie loses momentum terribly). Berg is good at realistic reconstructions, but the mass of authentic shots detracted a little from the power of the picture. There isn’t much shine to Reznor’s soundtrack this time round. (14.01.2018)

As expected. From the filmmaking point of view, Peter Berg did not disappoint. The explosions at the marathon and the subsequent confusion are filmed so well that you will bate your breath. It literally makes you feel like you are there with the cameraman. But this is where all the positives of this movie end. Unless you like American hysteria and an emphasis on patriotism. But that is, after all, apparent already from the title of the film, so count on the portrayal of America as the unique country and there is a number of characters in the film, who, of course, make it so unique. (27.10.2017)