The Boondock Saints

(Duffy) navigates the twisted collision of religious faith and the thrill of the kill, altruism and brutality, with an ingenious mix of humor, horror, mysticism, and just plain hipness.

More interested in finding fresh ways to stage execution scenes than in finding meaning behind the human urge for self-appointed righting of wrongs, (the film) is stuffed with effects that have no lasting impact.

(Duffy's) assembled a fine cast -- it's hard to take your eyes off the two young leads -- but he's given them little to do but squeeze triggers and mouth platitudes.

As written and directed by newcomer Troy Duffy, The Boondock Saints is all style and no substance, a film so gleeful in its endorsement of vigilante justice that it almost veers (or ascends) into self-parody.

Fantastic Movie that questions the morality of an FBI agent, and 3 vigilantes.

I find it interesting that so many parallels have been drawn between this film and Pulp Fiction, because beyond the genre staples and one or two racy, taboo-challenging scenes, they don't have all that much in common. Boondock Saints doesn't benefit from the comparison, either, considering Tarantino's epic is such an ambitious, label-defying, scene chewing mega-monster. By comparison, the Saints are just suitably entertaining bullet spitters with an accent. There's plenty of good action to be savored here, with a few wildly original payoffs and an upturned barrel full of blood'n'guts, but at heart it's an extremely simple vigilante justice story that's well-served by an itchy trigger finger. The two leads, twin brothers who have been waiting their entire lives for the excuse to go on this kind of a rampage, power through wave after wave of mafia underlings without even a whiff of danger until the closing moments. That makes for some giddy action sets early on, sure, but when the story is finally ready to slow down and say something, it's left with nothing to lean on. Willem DaFoe is a potential show-stealer as the morally (and sexually) confused police detective on the Saints' case, but he falls victim to the same trappings as the plot. Loaded with character, bravado and personality, but lacking depth and meaning.

The comedy derives from the ridiculous incompetencies of the protagonists and antagonists. Too often the film relies on its over-the-top self awareness to deliver the laughs, but there's enough here to warrant a watch or two.

To this very day, the quintessential exemplification of a cult classic. There is no in-between on this one, either you love it or hate it. Absolutely void of content and substance with style to spare. Side step this one unless you find non-sensical violence, Ron Jeremy, and William Dafoe in drag captivating.

This film is garbage. The archetype of low brow bro culture, cherished by men (boys) with descriptive vocabularies limited to word like "sick" and "tight". Puerile at best, offensive at worst. Save yourself the time/exhaustion and look elsewhere.