There are moments in Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day when it rightfully wears the mantle of Boondock Saints and there are moments when it’s not quite right. Happily for the audience there are far more of the former, and exceptionally few of the latter. Director Troy Duffy channels the inspirational spirits of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino with this fitting sequel.
Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day reunites us with the MacManus brothers who, with their father Noah, have spent the last eight years tending sheep in Ireland. Their hair has grown long, they are heavily bearded, and—can it be?—their accents have thickened. They are still the boys-at-heart who argue and wrestle over goofy things, have each other’s backs, and maintain a strong sense of justice.
What could happen, back in Boston, that would return Murphy (Norman Reedus) and Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) to the States? A priest is assassinated in the signature Saints’ style—two shots to the back of the head, then laid out on the floor of his church with pennies over his eyes. Not just any priest, this priest was a friend to the brothers. When the inept police detectives, with the aid of a comely FBI agent (Julie Benz in an over-the-top performance), investigate the murder scene they realize that the murderer was neither of the Saints, but the crime was intended to draw them out.
Returning to the United States, the MacManus brothers unwillingly deputize Romeo (Clifton Collins, Jr.), a Mexican extreme fighter who is traveling on the same ship. Romeo becomes, at first, the butt of their derision, then the target of their practical jokes, and finally an equal on the team. In many ways, he reminds us of Leo Getz (Joe Pesce) in Lethal Weapon 2.
Eunice, the FBI agent, is so smart she “makes other smart people feel like retards,” but her southern accent is so thick and she’s so full of bluster, she makes us nostalgic for Willem Dafoe in drag. However, being the only brain on law enforcement’s side, she is much needed. She is also pivotal to the brothers’ success in accomplishing their mission.
The people behind the assassination of the priest seem to be mob-connected, so the brothers spend quite a bit of time splattering a variety of drug dealers and mobsters across the screen, and at times it becomes a little difficult to remember who was killed and who wasn’t. A capo appears in a scene when you’re pretty sure this guy was already killed. It’s okay; there are so many of them, it’s hard to keep track. When the brothers are seen talking to a friend we know died in Boondock Saints, we are relieved when we realize this is a shared dream sequence.
Article comments
1 - bibbyroo
wow, i would disagree with you on almost all counts. the movie isnt just a sequel of the first, rather, its an exact repeat of the first! did the director really have no other new ideas?!? again we have the brothers reluctant to get involved until they decide its a moral obligation, then daddy gets involved too. the police officers are so poorly written that it is an embarassment to the film, and once again a 'crazy' detective has to come in and save the cops. the problem with this film is that it is the exact same as the first one, but without any of the fun! part of what made the first one fun was that the boys happened into it and were successful in spite of themselves. this one goes in the opposite direction and they plan everything out and each time they fail. which is what the movie does: fail.
2 - drew
I agree with bibbyroo I was embarrassed the entire time watching it...especially since I hyped it up to my buddies
3 - Rogerio
Honestly disappointing, I dont even know why they bothered to make this movie. Instead of staying true to a simple "cult following" potential, they took the sub-par back up characters and made them even more irritating in this film. The original had sharp little one liners by the main characters (making moments funny and even cool) the sequel turned the supporting cast into elementary school clowns with no intelligent lines. I was very excited about this sequel but the dialogue and acting was sad to say the least. The flash-backs had an interesting story line but they turned it into a joke when connecting it to the present. If they consider making another sequel please keep it darker with hints of humour... no 2 dimentional funny characters; they take away from the story.