Mark Wahlberg reunites with director Peter Berg for an emotionally challenging new drama about the Boston marathon bombings entitled 'Patriots Day'. It's a film that explores the powerful sense of community in the wake of such a terrifying event, especially in conjunction with a national holiday.

Mark Wahlberg in Patriots DayMark Wahlberg stars in Patriots Day

'Patriots Day' marks the third collaboration between Wahlberg and director Peter Berg, with the former having had the lead role in two other Berg movies: 'Deepwater Horizon' and 'Lone Survivor'. It's also not the first time Wahlberg has played a cop, the first time being 2010's 'The Other Guys'. 

The new film tells the story of the Boston marathon bombings of April 15th 2013, whereby two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line killing three and injuring 264 others. Chechen brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev were implicated in the bombings, and were later involved in a shoot-out with police in nearby Cambridge. By April 19th, thousands of police officers embarked on a city-wide manhunt, shutting down Watertown and urging all residents to stay inside until the hunt was over. Tamerlan soon died in the chaos - taking two police officers with him - while Dzhokhar was later arrested and sentenced to death.

Watch the trailer for 'Patriots Day' here:


 

Mark Wahlberg stars as a police officer named Sergeant Tommy Saunders who aids the FBI's Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon) and Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman) in their bid to locate the culprits responsible after finding himself in the midst of the carnage. The film also stars Melissa Benoist, Michelle Monaghan and J.K. Simmons.

It is a small mercy that so few people were killed during that terrifying week, and from the evil came the expanding and invincible power of love. Because this isn't just a story of terrorism and justice. It's about how the heart can triumph over adversity, and how one community can rebuild to become stronger and more united than ever before in the face of fear and tragedy.

Kevin Bacon, Mark Wahlberg and John GoodmanKevin Bacon and John Goodman star alongside Wahlberg

'I was the one who would be held accountable if we didn't get it right and I understood that and I welcomed that', Wahlberg says of the movie. 'For us it was about honouring everybody and making sure that we made people proud and show the rest of the world what Boston Strong means.'

'Patriots Day' will be released in movie theatres on January 13th 2017.