The 2016 film Patriots Day integrates a significant amount of authentic footage from the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt. Director Peter Berg deliberately blended these documentary elements with dramatized reenactments to construct the narrative. The real material used includes actual security and surveillance camera footage, news broadcasts from local and national outlets, and videos captured by eyewitnesses.
This filmmaking technique is a key component of the movie's docudrama style, intended to immerse the audience in the reality of the historical event. For example, the film features the actual surveillance videos of bombers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev that were released to the public by the FBI. This authentic material is interwoven with scenes performed by actors, such as Mark Wahlberg's composite character, Sergeant Tommy Saunders. The purpose of this hybrid approach is to heighten the film's sense of authenticity and urgency, creating a detailed timeline from the bombing itself through the city-wide lockdown and the final capture of the suspect.
The integration of real footage serves to ground the cinematic narrative in the factual event, blurring the line between entertainment and historical record. This directorial choice creates a visceral and immediate experience for the viewer. While the technique was praised by many for its realism and its effort to honor the victims and first responders, the direct use of often traumatic, real-world imagery also prompted discussions regarding the ethical considerations of portraying recent tragedies in mainstream cinema.
