
Troy Duffy’s
The
Boondock Saints was, as history tells it, enthusiastically acquired by
Miramax and then, once push came to shove over production disagreements,
dropped like a stone. It was a deserved fate, considering that this dim-witted,
aesthetically clunky Tarantino clone prizes glib violence, rank misogyny and
even-ranker homophobia in the service of “edginess.” In Boston, brothers Connor
(Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy McManus (Norman Reedus) decide, on what seems
like a whim, to ditch their meat-packing jobs – perhaps because they’re tired
of punching out manly women, as they do in an intro sequence? –
in order to become righteous
vigilantes. Their targets are local mafioso, and their enterprise comes to include
the participation of a spazzy mob bagman named “Funny Man’ (David Della Rocco).
Despite all the boozing, caressing of firearms, and meaningless window-dressing
prayers spoken right before they execute their victims, there’s no energy to
the proceedings, which are clumsily doused in slow-motion and edited with
awkward, bewildering fades. The McManus brothers’ murderous rampage is
glorified with such gleeful abandon that it’s either embarrassing or laughable
(or both), while Willem Dafoe flounders badly trying to make wine out of urine
from a homosexual detective role that calls for him to flamboyantly prance
about
and slander other gay men as
“fags.” A coda, in which (phony) man-on-the-street TV news interviews find a
public split over the virtuousness of the McManus’ actions, feigns interest in
the issue of vigilantism with such straightfaced seriousness, it’s borderline-insulting.
Judging from your review, it sounds more like you think of it as a solid D minus rating? I don't know how BDS ever got any kind of cult following, boggles the mind actually, it's clearly a turd marinated in mediocrity.
Anyway, thank you for articulating my problems with the picture almost perfectly Nick. You're one the best writers on film in the States, keep up the great work man
cheers
Posted by: Tobi Ximénez | October 24, 2009 at 05:26 AM
To Tobi Ximenez:
Nobody cares much for your opinion, unless they hail from the deserts of the southern borders. If you care about film you will learn to move beyond the realm of children's fantasy, such as every CG movie you probably love. What boggles the mind is the lack of appreciation for a film that decided to take its own path with major studio backing, Simply because it was not made in a backhouse garage by a man who spends his time trying to weasel into Sundance from his mother;s basement, your pretentious ass could care less. Here's an idea: don't be such a pretentious bastard.
Posted by: John | January 10, 2010 at 12:06 AM
this movie sucks
Posted by: boondock aint's | April 09, 2010 at 07:54 PM
This review makes me sick. Tarantino copies so much and people hail him for his originality.
Posted by: Mike | July 13, 2012 at 09:11 PM