 Tagline: Veritas et Aequitas -- Truth and Justice (or truth and fairness) Heart-pounding and graphic, this action-packed film pits FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe) against a pair of Irish brothers (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) out to rid the world of evil - starting with the Russian mob. But as the brothers brutally take on Boston's underworld, Smecker finds himself torn between busting the vigilantes....and joining them! Storyline: Two Irish brothers accidentally killed mafia thugs. They turned themselves in and were released as heroes. They then see it as a calling by God and started knocking off mafia gang members one by one. Willem Dafoe plays the detective trying to figure out the killings, but the closer he was to catching the Irish brothers, the more he thinks the brothers are doing the right thing. Written by KevinYang(meowdragon@hotmail.com) Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Ben Williams, March 4, 2009 -- If one were to combine Pulp Fiction with The Passion of the Christ; mix in a little of The Departed and just a sprinkle of Bonnie and Clyde, you'd have something like The Boondock Saints. It's a strange amalgamation of a film that attempts to be funny, violent and insightful, all at the same time, while never quite succeeding. The Boondock Saints is a cult film that failed miserably at the box-office; critics hated it and audiences weren't interested. Only through home video did the film ever find an audience; a pattern that seems to be repeating itself more frequently in recent years. The Boondock Saints has puzzled me for years and I've never been able to understand the film's appeal. So, thanks to Blu-ray, here's another chance. Twin Irish / American brothers, Connor (Sean Patrick Flannery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) McManus, become local heroes when they kill several Russian mob members in the throes of a barroom brawl. The brothers, both deeply religious, experience a vision from God that tells them to take the law into their own hands and to kill those who follow a life of crime. What follows is a vigilante rampage as Connor and Murphy embark on a killing spree targeting Boston's criminal underworld. FBI Agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe) is dispatched to track down the wayward duo; finding himself conflicted as he inches closer and closer to putting a stop to the McManus' vengeful spree. Are these wayward souls saints on a mission from God, or sinners as equally in the wrong as the criminals they seek? There's no doubt, whatsoever, that The Boondock Saints is, at times, terrifically entertaining. The McManus brothers are compelling characters who strike a different chord than the more traditional anti-heroes that occasionally find their way into films. Strangely, the film's plot is not unlike The Blues Brothers; a little more violence here, some catchy tunes there. What's missing from The Boondock Saints, is coherence. The film is all to often satisfied with being over the top and violent and often misses the mark in the subtleties of following any recognizable plot. Some of the film's shootouts and action scenes just continue on far too long to remain interesting; I often found myself bored by the non-stop action and witty one liners. One of my biggest complaints about the film lies in the character of FBI Agent Paul Smeckler. Willem Dafoe is great in the role and seems to relish the flamboyant antics of his character, so no problem there. I do take issue, however, with the filmmakers' attempts at making Smeckler a homosexual, simply as a tool to make him more "shocking." By resorting to stereotyping as a characterization, the character seems designed for generating cheap laughs over anything of substance. It's all comes across as disingenuous in comparison to the seemingly earnest plight of the McManus twins. Not that any of this really matters, of course; fans of the film will line up with glee to experience both the theatrical and extended cuts of The Boondock Saints that are included via seamless branching in this set. This is a film that you'll either love or loathe, with hardly any viewers falling in between. Since first seeing the film, I've been confounded by The Boondock Saints. There is certainly a lot to like about the movie; its spirited performances, inspired casting and a genuinely unique story seem to be the ingredients that foster a successful film. Unfortunately, these positive elements just never quite gel into a coherent narrative, and I always manage to part ways with The Boondock Saints asking myself what the point of the movie was. In spite of the flick's legions of fans, I can't help but feel that a good number of viewers will be left scratching their heads by the strange plot twists and characters. It's just a bizarre movie. Fox has done their best with this Blu-ray release, but the low budget origins of the film seriously limit the image quality. Audio fares better than the video and offers some nice surround action, but the supplementary section is pretty poor. The Boondock Saints has a built-in audience that will jump at the chance to own the film in high definition. Despite any flaws in this release, this is clearly the finest treatment that the film has yet received. Recommended for fans. Cast Notes: Willem Dafoe (Paul Smecker), Sean Patrick Flanery (Conner MacManus), Norman Reedus (Murphy MacManus), David Della Rocco (David Della 'Roc / Funny Man' Rocco), Billy Connolly (Il Duce), David Ferry (Detective Dolly), Brian Mahoney (Detective Duffy), Bob Marley (Detective Greenly), Richard Fitzpatrick (The Chief), William Young (Monsignor), Robert Pemberton (Macklepenny), Bill Craig (McGerkin), Dot Jones (Rosengurtle Baumgartener [as Dorothy-Marie Jones]), Scott Griffith (Ivan Checkov), Layton Morrison (Vladdy). IMDb Rating (11/02/14): 7.9/10 from 180,080 users
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