The Boondock Saints

This year, we have had a numerous movies come out with a cape and a mask. I thought, hmmm, what is the theme of cinema this year? Now I realize this movie came out in 1999, however, I thought I would visit this realm movie. This movie causes the controversy that is about religious superheroes or is this movie giving excuses to judge and kill someone. That question alone makes this movie raw and very insightful.

Directed by Troy Duffy, this movie is regarding two Irish American brothers, who are well liked with the locals, very educated, and very religious versus good from evil in there own sight, have insight that it is time to clean the earth of all wickedness after an incident dealing with some of the Russian Mob who tries to kill them after a bar brawl.

My first big question that came to me was how are they going to distinct that they are not just gun crazy maniacs versus becoming the Lords clean up crew? I don’t think that question is ever solved if someone just told you about the story. However the directing and the visual of having there friend Rocco be involved with them, demonstrated the differences between Rocco just wanting revenge, versus the brothers Conner and Murphy MacManus who really only want to take out the evil. There was a point were I thought the Irish boys would even take out Rocco.

Willem Dafoe plays an FBI agent who is investigating all the murders and I loved to see how harmonic on how he investigated each crime scene. I didn’t understand the fact on why they made a point that he was gay. I didn’t really get why they had to exploit that until the ending, when you realize how his flamboyant role came into play.

Billy Connolly plays a ruthless villain contracted by the Italian mob called Il Duce. I really enjoyed this character. He was the mirror image of Saints. I won’t go into his character much, because he does play an important role in this film.

This film could’ve improved a little bit more on the script writing. I thought Rocco’s lines were not there. It was like the writing was only geared towards the main characters, but the lines and involvement of the supporting characters could’ve been improved on. If they did that, it would’ve been so strong with character development of the supporting cast. Sometimes it felt that they were more “extras” on hand that had to improvise there lines.

You may or may not agree what the Brothers Conner and Murphy MacManus decisions, but it makes you think and at least understand why and what they are doing. There are very few movies that can do that for example the Dark Knight was a good example if you agree with Batman’s decisions. The best classic example… Platoon. Need I say more?

It would be interesting if they made a sequel to this film, but have more money, time and effort pushed at it. This movie ended great, and went with a bang! I hope and keep you thinking of this realistic superhero tale versus the good and evil of this world.