The keyword term functions as a noun phrase, identifying a specific narrative event: the resolution of the film. The movie's climax concludes with the successful manhunt and capture of the second bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Following a violent shootout in Watertown where his older brother, Tamerlan, is killed, Dzhokhar escapes, prompting a city-wide lockdown. The manhunt culminates when a local resident discovers the wounded suspect hiding in a boat stored in his backyard and alerts authorities, leading to a final standoff and Dzhokhar's arrest.
The detailed sequence of the film's final act begins with the Tsarnaev brothers executing MIT Police Officer Sean Collier. This is followed by their carjacking of Dun Meng, who manages to escape and provide critical intelligence on the suspects' vehicle. This information leads law enforcement to Watertown, initiating an intense firefight where the brothers use firearms and improvised explosives against officers. During the chaos, Tamerlan is shot and subsequently run over by his escaping brother. The ensuing search for Dzhokhar results in an unprecedented "shelter-in-place" order for the Boston metropolitan area. The lockdown is lifted after a day of fruitless searching, but a Watertown resident, David Henneberry, then notices a loose strap and blood on his boat's shrink wrap. His call to 911 leads police to surround the boat, where they use a thermal imaging camera to confirm Dzhokhar's presence before he is captured alive.
The film's narrative resolution transitions into a powerful epilogue that provides documentary context and emotional closure. Instead of ending with the capture, the movie presents real-life footage and interviews with the actual survivors, first responders, and investigators portrayed by the actors. This includes testimony from individuals like Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, carjacking victim Dun Meng, and bombing survivors Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky. This final section shifts the focus from the procedural investigation to the themes of community resilience, heroism, and the enduring "Boston Strong" spirit, grounding the dramatization in the authentic experiences of those who lived through the tragedy.
