Review of The Boondock Saints (1999) by Javier G — 25 Jun 2012

That which is good DOES flourish!

It's unfortunate this movie didn't get as wide a release as it should have. It's an incredibly well crafted film with a compelling storyline, both emotionally and philosophically, and great acting and cinematography. A real shame.

The Boondock Saints follows fraternal twins in Boston through a transformation from local blue-collar boys to defenders of justice. Being Irish, it all,of course, starts one drunken St. Patty's night as the boys get into an altercation with a couple of enforcers for the Russian Mafia. This leads to retaliation by said enforcers but the boys subdue them. In a possible case of destiny becoming manifest, the pair decides that they shouldn't just stop at taking out two lowly mob guys but rid the entire world of evil. Well, maybe they don't decide something so grandiose right on the spot but it begins there and for the rest of the movie we follow in their exploits, as well as those of an F.B.I. agent hot on their trails, towards their seemingly pre-ordained life of executioners of the wicked.

The movie is full of religious themes. They're not particularly subtle either as it takes to smashing you over the head with them by using language, and even a prayer, that can only be described as ceremonial in nature. That's why it works though. It is an action-packed, funny, sort-of in your face social commentary that doesn't forget it is also meant to entertain.

A lot of the enjoyment from this movie comes from its actors. Everyone, from the main characters to the comedic bartender, are filled in enough as characters that the actors seem to lose themselves in their parts. No one seems superfluous, no matter how cartoony, like Ron Jeremy's mafioso, they might seem.

The Boondock Saints also benefits from a good director. Besides using some interesting angles and choosing, albeit not entirely on purpose, score and soundtrack, Troy Duffy employs an interesting technique in the use of flashbacks to the "crimes" that Willem Dafoe's Agent Smecker is investigating. He intersperses flashbacks through Smecker's examinations of the crime scenes bringing the length of time he spends in each time frame to smaller and smaller intervals as Smecker's and the Twins' paths converge until there are no more flashbacks and Smecker and the Twins are in the same place at the same time. It a true case of editing as part of the story.

It may be a cult classic now and have a much greater following than when first released but by definition not everyone has seen it. If you, or your friends, are one of those few that haven't I recommend doing so as soon as possible. Like the movie says, indifference, in this case of the good movie-watching public, is a true evil that needs to be fought.

Entertainment Value - 1 1/2 Stars.

Storytelling - 1 Star.

Characters - 1 Star.

Production - 1/2 Star.

Direction and Editing - 1 Star.