The Good

This is a highly original film with an interesting commentary track.

The Bad

I wish there would have been a section where Troy Duffy responded to the Overnight documentary.

I saw the movie The Boondock Saints a few years ago. I thought was interesting, if not a bit over the top. I then saw the documentary Overnight, an expose on director Troy Duffy and how he treated his friends when he his career caught fire. Then I was given this 2-disc Boondock Saints DVD set to review.

The Boondock Saints is the tale of Connor and Murphy MacManus (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus). These are two brothers who feel that they have been chosen to take care of the evils that plague our world. They aren't superheroes so much as they are average guys trying to do good things. Well, their "work" draws them in the direct line of fire of FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe). The only problem is that Smecker doesn't see these vigilantes as people that should be stopped. This film mixes deft visuals, strong writing and solid acting to make a movie that seems to have been unfortunately overshadowed by it's creator.

Features

Commentary Tracks

There are two tracks to choose from. One features the director and the other is with actor Billy Connolly. Due to time constraints, I chose to listen to Troy Duffy because after watching Overnight, I find him fascinating and Duffy is certainly Duffy here. He talks about his creative team on this film (showering them with praise), his relationship with the actors (he calls himself and Willem Dafoe "two kids in a sandbox") and he also breaks down the camerawork on the film. I know that this movie has a cult following, so fans should welcome this audio track.

Deleted Scenes

Seven deleted scenes are presented in total. They all have referential titles to the film but the quality on the scenes themselves isn't that hot. Also, a lot of the scenes seem meatier than that which made it into the film which makes me wonder if this isn't the last that we'll see of this movie? I mean, where do you go after you show off a deleted scene of our main characters beating up a woman? Something tells me Duffy would love the opportunity to revisit his movie in a redux-like form

Outtakes

A pretty typical outtake reel in which we see the cast blowing lines, accidentally hitting each other and doing all the things we typically see on a movie set. While there really isn't too much to say about this, I would have enjoyed a featurette filled with behind the scenes footage a lot more.

Video

This movie can be watched in Full Screen - Modified to fit your Screen - 1.33:1. It can also be viewed in Widescreen - Anamorphic - 2.35:1. The look of this film is what stands out the most about it. It is filled with a visual style that is best described as refreshing. The fact that it also has a really action packed, cool script behind it makes the whole package stand out more than most films. They have given this film a really nice transfer to DVD, and if nothing else it should satisfy the fanbase who has been watching this film (and loving it) since it first came out.

Audio

Dolby Digital. English 5.1 Dolby Surround EX. This film is close captioned and subtitled in English and Spanish. Duffy has seen too it that the soundtrack is just as charged as the movie. The music gives this film an almost biblical feel and it makes it seem like our main characters are on a mission. Along with this is the fact that there's a lot of gunplay and other imagery, all of which makes the audio hold it's own with what we are witnessing on screen.

Package

They have given this release a black, metal cover with The Boondock Saints symbol on it. The symbol is also on the back cover of this set. Sadly, there is another back cover that is stuck on with what seems like rubber cement. It gives a description of the film, a Special Features listing, some pictures from the movie, a cast list and some technical specs. The metal case opens up revealing more artwork from the film, and the two discs in a double tray. This packaging adds a lot to this set.

Final Word

It is undeniable that Troy Duffy has talent. This movie takes the films Mean Streets and State of Grace, mixes them together sending them off into an ultraviolent frenzy. When you consider that this was Duffy's first film, I think that makes his accomplishment that much more impressive. The fact that he alienated so many people in the process of making this film seems to be the biggest travesty.

A movie like The Boondock Saints seems to signal that a new filmmaking force has entered the scene, I just think, based on the documentary, Duffy overplayed his hand when he should have focused more on what was best for this movie. As I stated above, he is very talented.

Boondock Saints was released January 22, 1999.