Review of The Boondock Saints (1999) by Johnslegers — 03 Jan 2016

"The Boondock Saints" seems to be one of those films you either hate or love. I'm most definitely among the lovers out there and the reason for this is simple : out of all action films I've ever seen, "The Boondock Saints" seemed the most entertaining, the most visually appealing, the most original and the funniest to me.

Sure, "The Boondock Saints" is no "Citizen Kane", but that's something I never expected in the first place. There are some major plot holes, most characters are caricatures and the acting isn't the best around, but if you manage to ignore this there is a lot to like about this film.

Being raised in a Flemish labor class family, my cultural background is very much like that of the two main characters. As such, I found the motivations, the philosophy, the personalities and humor of the main characters very recognizable and very appealing. I suspect this may also be a major reason why there are so many haters. If you do not have any affinity with Irish labor class culture or mentality, then you may just not "get it". I'm not saying you must be a factory worker to like this film, though. My own job is programming web applications.

Then there's the visuals. Duffy opted for a non-linear way of telling his story that with a unique combination of fast-paced action, some experimental editing and a matching music score. While "Pulp Fiction" undoubtedly inspired Duffy's style, it's still far too different from Tarantino's typical style or anything else I've ever seen to be considered a rip-off. Tarantino based his own style on the dozens of films from the '70s he saw as a teenager, but does that make "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction" any less original or unique?

Most of all, though, "The Boondock Saints" is just fun. Invite some of your friends over, grab a few beers and just enjoy the fact-paced action, the sometimes very foul-mouthed or very dark humor and debate with your friends whether you'd think it would be a blessing or a curse if "The Boondock Saints" were actually real and not just a story made up by Duffy. For me, that's the perfect setting for a film like this.