The Boondock Saints
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Movie Reviews of The Boondock Saints
Movie Review: Totally worth the money if it's your kind of flick.
Summary: 5 Stars
Boondock Saints is an odd movie, know that going in. It has some Tarantino-esque violence and surreal humor. It switches between gritty realism (the brothers' apartment is painfully realistic, especially the shower) and surreal imagery imbued with a sort of psychopathic Catholic symbolism. The cast is great, with Willem Dafoe stealing every scene he's in, as a slightly mad, flaming-gay inspector. Later in the film, he goes undercover in drag, as possibly the strangest hooker ever. It's also perfectly scored - the music constantly creating the right mood.
The rest of the cast is great, too. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are good as two tough brothers in an Irish neighborhood who inadvertantly find themselves at odds with the local mafia and decide to go on a religious crusade against crime. David Della Rocco is completely believable as their pitiful wannabe-mafioso friend who provides comic relief throughout the film. Most of the secondary characters are memorable. This is a huge bargain at 8 or 9 bucks if you like shoot-em-ups and over the top, bizarre humor.
However, I've noticed that two groups of people seem not to enjoy the movie: people who don't like "vigilantism" and folks with certain strong religious ideas. The movie, as should be clear from the reviews, is about 2 brothers whose warped interpretation of Catholicism turns them into vigilantes. They are portrayed as the heroes and much of the story is told in a manner sympathetic to their particular, deranged worldview. So, if you have a visceral opposition to vigilantes or religious imagery you disagree with, don't buy this film. For me, part of what is interesting about this movie is seeing how the various dysfunctional personalities interact to convince them all that God wants them to go do some very strange things.
Movie Review: I watched this 5 times in 4 days...
Summary: 5 Stars
For about a year my father pestered me about this movie he just saw. "It's called the Boondock Saints, you'll love it. Just check it out." Next month... "Did you see Boondock Saints yet?" A month later, "Have you seen the movie?" One night my wife and I were over his house and he said, "That's it, you're sitting down and watching this movie right now."
As soon as it was over, we started it right up again. The next day I was at Best Buy looking under 'B' in the DVD aisle. Then I proceeded to become a clone of my father. "Have you seen Boondock Saints?" "You have to see this movie." "Have you seen it yet? I'd lend you my copy, but I may watch it again tonight."
The movie starts off with two brothers from South Boston who are about to have their favorite watering hole taken over by the Russian mob. No faster way to tick off an Irishman than to close his favorite pub down on him. A fight ensues in the bar with the Russians and pretty soon the twins find themselves vigilantes with a higher purpose.
Willem Dafoe is fantastic, or should I say fabulous, as Paul Smecker, a gay FBI agent who begins to question his own beliefs and morals while tracking the brothers. Billy Connolly plays the ruthless hit man to a T. And David Della Rocco does a nice job as the McManus brothers' pseudo-gangster drinking buddy. He has some of the best line in the flick.
This movie is overtly violent, extremely vulgar, somewhat offensive, and just plain fun to watch. Plus, this movie has to hold some award for most creative way to dispose of a feline in cinematic history. The DVD has some nice deleted scenes, especially from the peep show scene with the passed out stripper.
Don't ask, just go get it.
Movie Review: Brilliant Black Comedy and Modern Parable
Summary: 5 Stars
The Boondock Saints is, in every regard, an unmitigated joy to watch. Practically glowing like some combination of fairy-tale and Bible story the entire film sings like a modern reading of a medieval miracle play. That it overflows with what may, on surface, appear as gratuitous violence only serves to heighten its aspects of religiosity and sense of wonder. That it is deliciously darkly comic ensures that its fun too.
As the MacManus brothers, Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus each bring a winning "angels with dirty faces" quality at once immediately endearing and disturbing in its zealousness. I could not help myself from rooting for them early on, wondering about what really led them to this mission of destruction and mayhem.
Willem Dafoe gives one of his finest performances as Smecker, the brilliant, over-the-top, opera-obsessed, gay FBI agent constantly showing off his criminal knowledge as he belittles the local police trying to solve the story's problematic crimes. The slow motion scene of him "conducting" through a violent maelstrom of bullets as he dreamily revisits a crime scene is both breathtakingly beautiful and thigh slappingly hilarious. Some have dismissed this character (and Dafoe's performance) as obvious, when it is in all actuality, nothing less than remarkable: a complete tour-de-force by one of the best actors of this ages.
Mixing hyperbole both criminal and religious with its unique brand of literalism, The Boondock Saints seems to confound and confuse as many as it delights. Obviously this is not a film for everyone, but those who look past its psuedo tough veneer and embrace its gentle core violence and vision will be richly rewarded. Hallelujah. Amen.
Movie Review: They're on a mission from God
Summary: 5 Stars
The Boondock Saints. The very title made me curious to see what the movie was all about. Basically, the story revolves around two Irish brothers, who after narrowly escaping an attack by Russian gangsters feel that God has granted them the duty to kill the evildoers in the world. They go into their mission with relish and begin taking out mobsters all over Boston with the help of a friend (who looks like Jesus). Willem Defoe plays a gay FBI agent who is trying to track down the brothers, but sympathizes with them, and feels that what they are doing is neccessary. After a series of successful hits, the Mob calls in a mysterious hitman to kill the brothers. The city becomes the battle ground for "good" and evil as all the players gather for the final showdown.
One of the best things about this movie is the camera shots. This came out before "bullet time" was real big, and the gun fights happen in a way that movies like the Matrix can't match. The violence seems very real, in a Tarantino style. Blood flows often in this film, but its all appropriate to the theme of the movie. I especially like the opening scenes. The song at the beginning "The Blood of Cu Chulainn", fits into the movie and sets up the "Irishness" that is the heart of this movie. The end credits are cool too showing different people's reactions to the Saints and what they are doing. This is meant to make people think about vigilantees in society and are they appropriate.
Fans of movies like Pulp Fiction and Die Hard will like this movie. The stylized action, endless rambling talk about strange topics, and good comedy thrown in to keep the movie from being too depressing. Check out Boondock Saints for a nice...."religious" experince.
Movie Review: good show
Summary: 5 Stars
A movie is a form of entertainment and should be taken just as that. The Boondock Saints with its dark humor, great stunts, bloodshed and great lines has done its job. In addition, the fact that the movie elicits strong reactions only adds to its merits. Doesn't it raise questions about very fine lines between criminals and vigilantes? I think it's great that we leave this movie questioning our own moral beliefs, no matter where we stand.
In one way, one can argue that they had the command of their God and so their action is justified in a sense. For the rest of us, who do not share their faith or morals, the themes are troubling.
Despite the killings, I liked the brothers. They display a sensitivity that is not seen in the macho alpha males in other films.
For example, at the scene of the public execution of the mob boss,
"Murphy: Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace.
Connor: These are not polite suggestions, these are codes of behavior, and those of you that ignore them will pay the dearest cost.
Murphy: There are varying degrees of evil. We urge you lesser forms of filth, not to push the bounds and cross over, in to true corruption, into our domain."
I applaud their recognition that their domain is of true corruption and that there is contradiction between what they preach and how they act. This self-recognition makes them a shade more subtle than punks. Where they morally stand is completely open to debate.