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THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II – All Saints Day

With Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, Bob Marlwy, Judd Nelson, Peter Fonda, Willem Dafoe, Bob Marley, Brian Mahoney, David Ferry, David Della Rocco

Written & Directed by Troy Duffy

A decade after the original Boondock Saints, the team is resurrected. The original is a classic, made by the barman turned Hollywood darling – for those who haven't seen the staggering documentary Overnight, do yourself a favour and check it out, as it is an eye-popping testament on how a promising movie project gets sidelined and almost dumped when Hollywood bigwigs turn on the director, and the downward spiral of how this nobody-turned-somebody gets completely self-absorbed and power-mad. With a serious budget cut and restrictions, a very cool movie came out at the end of it. Since the first movie, Duffy hasn't made another film.
This sequel has the vigilante MacManus brothers drawn back to the USA from their exile in Ireland by the murder of a priest (done in their quasi-religious style). The son of Yakavetta (the mob boss they wiped out in the first film) is out to stop the brothers, and there is a lot more behind the man who killed the priest to draw them from hiding.
As with the original (and so many other movies), this was shot in Canada.
The sequel follows a lot of the recipe of the first (mainly to appease the Boondock fans), but with some twists and curve balls, like Dafoe's expert detective replaced by a female protégé, and in the first film had Rocco as their unofficial third saint, while here they pick up a Mexican third wheel (on the ship across to Boston) systematically becoming one of the killing team.
Their father's vigilante history is revealed with flashbacks into the '50s, and also has a very important link to the situation in the present.
The comedy levels are pumped up more - sometimes less successfully, making it a bit silly at times. It must be said I was quite fascinated with Sean Patrick Flanery's face, which seems like he had some seriously botched surgery done beneath his eyes...

Hardcore fans will love this movie since they've waited so long to see these characters again (plus a few surprises).

Extra features include a making-of documentary, extra interviews and two commentary tracks. The one commentary has Duffy chatting about the making of the movie, talking sense and highlighting loads of info on both movies (also joined into the commentary by Willem Dafoe, chatting about theatre, his acting, the movies etc.) - a good listen. Duffy is always very self-confident to the extent of sounding arrogant and egotistical (which certainly can be), and in the second commentary track it is a much more out-of-control boys club, with Duffy, Flanery, Reedus and Connolly talking shit, joking and laughing over the scenes. Duffy and Flanery take over the show with constant loud Andrew 'Dice' Clay, gay, and poncy thespian impersonations (Reedus taking a back seat).

3 / B
- Paul Blom


0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A - B - C


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never let a review decide for you, but for those who need a rating, see the Flamedrop scale below
6 - Volcanic
5 - Blistering
4 - Hot
3 - Smolder
2 - Room Temperature
1 - Fizzled
0 - Extinguished

A: Multi-Viewing Potential

B: Could Enjoy A 2nd Look

C: Once Should Suffice



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