The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 11.08.2009

Showing us the first ever jaw dislocation by salami sequence.

Sean Patrick Flanery: Connor MacManus
Norman Reedus: Murphy MacManus
Billy Connolly: Noah
Clifton Collins Jr.: Romeo
Julie Benz: Special Agent Eunice Bloom
Peter Fonda: The Roman
Judd Nelson: Concezio Yakavetta
David Della Rocco: Rocco
Brian Mahoney: Detective Duffy
David Ferry: Detective Dolly
Written and Directed By: Troy Duffy
Release Date: October 30, 2009
Running Time: 117 minutes







Rated R for bloody violence, language and some nudity.

Controversial filmmaker Lars von Trier said "You have to do a film because you want it, not because you think the audience wants it." I thought of this quote as I watched The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. It has been 10 years, and original brainchild Troy Duffy has returned to the characters that simultaneously made him and broke him. His sequel was made with reckless abandon. Duffy has written and filmed it as if he had nothing to lose, and who could blame him? This also plays more like a story he wanted to see, much like the original, and if the fans are committed to this new exploit of vigilante mayhem, great. If not, I don't think he would lose much sleep.

The downward spiral of Troy Duffy back in 1999 is more fascinating and complex than The Boondock Saints cold ever hope to be. It was a solid little action thriller that barely received a limited release. The few critics that did review it during that run did not care for it, but when it arrived on video it went on a rampage the MacManus brothers would be proud of. That little movie raked in approximately $40 million dollars when the smoke cleared. Smoke, because behind the scenes, Duffy's time in the spotlight had crumbled. Four years later, a riveting and overlooked documentary entitled Overnight chronicled Duffy's rise and fall. Many, including myself, never imagined the long rumored sequel would ever see the light of day due to the bridges Duffy burned. Evidently all wounds in Hollywood have healed enough.

With The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day moviegoers have an intriguing situation in front of them. Duffy has not made a film for a decade, and during that time, the business has changed dramatically, and so have the way action efforts are constructed. Duffy however, has not shaken those 90's roots from his repertoire, and the result will leave viewers with mixed emotions. For myself, I happen to think many of the best action pics emanated from that period, so this was a nice blast from the past in certain respects. The Boondock Saints II is a film that is so over the top that it makes you sit back in awe. I admire Duffy's ballsy approach after all these years, and it was this vicious blend of action, comedy, and exaggerated acting that kept me perplexingly beguiled. You can tell this project meant a lot to him, and that passion is palpable throughout this wild and zany ride.

The story picks up years after the events of the first film with Connor and Murphy MacManus (Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery) in hiding somewhere in Ireland, living with Noah (Billy Connelly). Back in Boston, a priest has been brutally slain, but it was made to look like the brothers perpetrated the crime. This provokes them out of hiding immediately, and they make their way back across the Atlantic preparing to exact revenge. Other than that, they have no plan. They do meet Romeo (Clifton Collins Jr.), a feisty Mexican that discovers their identities and convinces them he would be a suitable member to the gang. Meanwhile, Detectives Duffy, Greenly, and Dolly are contending with Special Agent Eunice Bloom (Julie Benz), a tough and confident female that wants to catch Connor andf Murphy once and for all. In the middle of all that, Concezio Yakavetta (Judd Nelson), son of the mob boss the brothers killed previously, assumes they will be returning, and lays out his own quest for vengeance. But before these events can be set in motion, the brothers stop at their favorite bar.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day has two personalities. The first half relies more on comedy, whereas the concluding half gets more serious. This transition occurs rather effortlessly, which is shocking considering how outlandish the entire experience is. The beginning initiates a hilarious and energetic sequence where the brothers go out to their Irish barn, dig up their weapons and outfits, and shave off the beards they have grown for years. Both resembled Tom Hanks in Cast Away before the necessary grooming. What I liked was that Connor and Murphy wasted no time in returning to their vigilante ways. They do this so quickly upon learning of the priest's death it's as if they were waiting for news to give them a reason. The secluded Irish life is charming, but not for a couple of guys were enjoyed killing criminals in the city.

Duffy's technique is anything but inventive, but that does not mean it isn't fun. He has given critics the excuse to dust off their Tarantino references, which have grown stale. Imagine what reviews would be like if critics referenced every Kurosawa influence. They also make the claim that Duffy has no control over his actors, but I disagree to some extent. I just think Duffy does not aim for subtlety and quiet performances. His goal is loud and crazy with full steam ahead. The most normal and straightforward portrayals are that of Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus as the MacManus brothers, but even they possess a very distinct attitude, and are present for laughs as much as gunfire this time around. The humor tends to go overboard occasionally, such as when one goon has his jaw dislocated by a salami, or when the brothers scare one guy to soiling his underwear. You’re not sure whether to chuckle or cringe

Julie Benz is carving out a nifty little list of guy movies lately with Rambo, Punisher: War Zone, and now The Boondock Saints II under her belt. As Special Agent Eunice Bloom, she strides around like the female version of John Wayne with a sexy figure and a seductive Southern accent. She delivers every line with the intent of making the strongest and most noticeable impact with that piercing glare. When she is called "Agent Bloom" she makes sure to correct the detective that he needs to add the "Special." She commands every scene she is in, and makes the detectives look like the Three Stooges, which may have been the intention.

Though he has his strong moments, Clifton Collins Jr. is slightly irritating as Romeo the bug-eyed Mexican assistant. He takes a kid hostage and demands that he think of tagline he can bust out after the climactic shootout is finished. He's a cartoonish character, but a funny one that generously flirts with being bothersome enough to hurt the picture. In the villain camp, if you took John Bender from The Breakfast Club and tripled his fury and rage, and added a Russian accent, you have an idea of Judd Nelson's depiction of Concezio Yakavetta. He is an unhappy mob leader who always feels the need to yell when speaking. Nelson is almost unrecognizable in this persona, but his riotously embellished turn is terrific in a bizarre way.

The storyline has echoes of The Godfather trilogy, but the comparisons are strongest with the flashbacks involving Billy Connelly's Noah, a.k.a Il Duce. Connelly's role in the proceedings, along with his past deeds, makes for satisfying and gripping tangents. Connelly, Reedus, and Flanery have an innate chemistry in that they act comfortable together even when they are silent. Duffy affords classic, yet beaten to death slow-motion sequences where the trio and Romeo march in shades and long black trench coats to prepare for battle. It's a cliché for sure, but one that can always be effective when employed properly.

At times Troy Duffy integrates flourishes and excess flair as if he might never have the opportunity to try them again. In one scene when the brothers and Romeo have arrived in the US, they strategize on how to make their first impression. Duffy shows us the plan they have in mind, an utterly ridiculous, yet uproarious sequence. What actually happens is very different, but that was obvious. In other moments he utilizes the How I Met Your Mother method of storytelling by leading us to the seconds prior to an action blowout, but then fast forwarding to the investigation aftermath where Special Agent Bloom assembles the puzzle pieces. The audience also witnesses different versions of certain moments, which is unusual.

Music and profanity are important to the action. Some songs are added to the background like a normal soundtrack, while others are intermingled in real situations, like when one character has to listen to Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" as inspiration. This too is a regurgitation of a generic 1990's action adventure flick, but here the tunes supplement the enthusiastic tone, and the result induces a smile as long as you enjoy rock. An arguable point is that Duffy tosses in profanity in deliberately peculiar areas so they stand out. The same could be said for the hard rock slow-motion sequences, and The Boondock Saints II might have cemented the record for most uses of this tactic.

The Boondock Saints II concludes in a manner that will infuriate some and please others in a side-splitting “I can’t believe they did that” sort of ending that I for one, never anticipated for a second. A decade is a long time, and over the years people might have forgotten just what it means to have the reputation of a “cult hit”. The danger is that the perception for The Boondock Saints has made a transition from cult favorite to widely praised film, and with this gleefully clumsy excuse for a sequel, Troy Duffy knocks us down to reality. He has made a poor film that has no right to be entertaining, but totally is nevertheless. Duffy seems overjoyed to be back, so much so that he bombards us with every trick up his sleeve. His next trick: to make a movie without the MacManus brothers.

The 411: The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is clearly a guy movie. Everything in it is geared towards males, even how the female FBI agent is portrayed. Nonetheless, it is a highly entertaining picture that never grows weary clocking in at the near 2 hour mark. The performances are enthusiastic, and the cast seems to be having a great time with the material. This films boils down to whether or not you liked the first film. If you are, chances are you will be on board for all the twists, turns, and trimmings writer/director Troy Duffy throws your way this time. The word is this film is opening in more cities. They picked a good release date right before the huge rush of Oscar contenders. If you’re looking for an escapist film that will be fun and not much else, this is the ticket you want.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]