Peter Bergcame into directing with robust entertainments likeVery Bad ThingsandThe Rundown. He didn’t break out, however, until he helmed the film adaptation ofFriday Night Lights, a very enjoyable movie that did, in fact, do more than a handful of things better with the source material than the beloved TV series did. From there, he directed an incredibly ambitious, faulty superhero satire (Hancock) and a thrilling but politically problematic action-drama (The Kingdom) before taking on the doomedBattleship. None of those films were particularly remarkable but they are all infinitely preferrable to the emotional manipulation and uncomplicated, dull vision of heroism inLone Survivor, which unfortunately got him awards attention.
Lone Survivorleans heavily on the same kind of strained moralism that has made a number of true-to-life action-dramas, especially those involving American soldiers, insufferable to sit through. So, when Berg was announced as the director ofPatriots Day, which tackles the Boston Marathon bombings, I can’t say I was distinctly thrilled with the choice. Then again, most of the problems withLone Survivorwere with the script, as well as Berg’s use of an overbearing score. And considering the news today thatTrent ReznorandAtticus Rosswill be composing the score forPatriots Day, Berg has my express permission - which I know he was waiting for - to use the score in any way he sees fit.
Reznor and Ross have been collaborators for a long time now, but their film scores have become sought-after, gorgeous pieces of ambient work. Their work on Fincher’s last three films -The Social Network,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, andGone Girl- have quickly made them legends in the field and has garnered them plenty of awards statuettes, including Oscars. For this reason alone,Patriots Daynow qualifies as a must-see movie of the Fall/Winter season. Who knows? Maybe the movie will be good too.
Here’s the official synopsis forPatriots' Day:
In the aftermath of an unspeakable act of terror, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard Deslauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of the most sophisticated manhunt in law enforcement history and the strength of the people of Boston.
