Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross will lend their musical gifts to Patriots Day

October 3rd 2016, 8:01am

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Much like with Christian-themed pics, there’s a certain audience in America that wants nothing more than movies about Jesus, America, and people who drive Ford trucks. Hence, we get directors like Clint Eastwood, Michael Bay and Peter Berg who give us movies like AMERICAN SNIPER, 13 HOURS, and LONE SURVIVOR. These movies are almost never good, lacking a certain artistic depth and style that would otherwise make Americans think they were watching a foreign flick. However, that trend is about to be bucked—when it comes to one movie, at least.

Berg’s new movie, PATRIOTS DAY, just got a dose of Oscar-winning power thanks to composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross who will conduct the score for the film (via Collider). The duo who has primarily worked on David Fincher films like GONE GIRL, GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and THE SOCIAL NETWORK (which they won an Oscar for) will lend their unique musical talents to the Boston Marathon bombings flick starring Mark Wahlberg. It’s totally understandable if you haven’t heard of this movie, as most of the attention has been has been put on this year’s other Berg/Wahlberg (who I will forever refer to as The Bergs) collaboration, DEEPWATER HORIZON—a movie which also featured a lot of brave people and ‘Merica-ness.

Here is a synopsis below:

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.

News that Reznor and Ross will be scoring the film is a blessing for film buffs who adore the duo’s work, and haven't really had much desire to see the movie before now (if it's because of the movie's title I wouldn't blame you). The movie is set to come January of next year, and will likely get screenings this winter for the sake of Oscar competition, but we have no trailer yet and very few images from the film.

Though I am now vastly more excited for the film because of Reznor and Ross’s involvement, I can’t say I was ever looking forward to this film. Berg’s last entry into the “America #1” series of movies, LONE SURVIVOR, was technically sufficient but couldn’t escape the bland sense of “solider worship”. Now I’m not putting down anyone in America's armed forces, but cinematically, preachy movie’s like SURVIVOR and AMERICAN SNIPER lack a certain duality and depth, and usually seem to act as obvious morality lessons. The plot of DAY makes me feel like movie will be more ZERO DARK THIRTY than SURVIVOR, though, and the composers’ involvement gives me hope there’s something deeper and more interesting here than the Toby Keith-inspired title suggests.

PATRIOTS DAY starring Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Bacon and Michelle Monaghan is set for a nationwide release on January 13, 2017, but The Bergs' latest movie, DEEPWATER HORIZON, is in theaters now (check out Chris Bumbray's review here!)