The Boondock Saints was a cult hit when it came put around 10 years ago. The movie was far from award winning, done on a shoe string budget, totally ridiculous, and absolutely awesome. Like the rest of my friends who became obsessed with the Saints, I was hooked after the first viewing. After that, I watched multiple times on multiple days. Fans like myself desperately wanted the MacManus twins to come back and dole out some violent vengeance. Well, 10 years later we have The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, and while it was entertaining and violent and ridiculous, it just wasn't nearly as good as the original.
For those of you who don't know, The Boondock Saints are Irish twins Connor and Murphy living in South Boston. They are hard drinking, expletive spewing, good Catholic boys. Long story short, they start going around killing bad guys in the name of the Lord, and basically get away with it, with the help of some cops and a crazy FBI agent. I say basically because after a very public execution of a mob boss they are pretty much forced to move back to Ireland and live on a sheep farm with their father, also an infamous bad guy killer. Their quiet life is interrupted when their beloved priest in Boston is killed and it is made to look as if they did it. The brothers have no choice but to return back to Boston and start doling out the vengeance on the bad guys that did this. However, this time, there is a deeper reason for drawing out the brothers and past sins come back to haunt some of the parties involved.
Saints 2 continues the trigger happy style of the first film with rapid fire shoot outs, film homages, and witty back and forth dialogue that is thoroughly entertaining. The gun play in this one is more stylized, and it makes for some very entertaining action packed scenes that should please everyone who loved the first film. Most of the old cast has returned. The new cast, who all bring some entertaining acting with them, mostly form the comic relief.
Unfortunately, All Saints Day isn't quite up to par with the first film. The first film seemed to have a natural flow to it, the sequel a bit choppy. Mostly though, the new actors seem to try too hard. While everyone is fun and entertaining, a lot of it is just too over the top, and after a while it gets old. Julie Benz and Clifton Collins Jr. try to make up for their first films counterparts, being Wilem Defoe and David Della Rocco respectively, but seemed to just try to be more over the top than their predecessors. The new cast members seem to be trying to make up for a lack of craziness that the originals had, and it shows. There are also several silly and useless scenes that, while entertaining, are out of place.
Fortunately, the end of the film is saved by a fantastic, super violent climax headed by Billy Connolly and Peter Fonda. Their scene at the end is the best acting in either of the films and these veterans save the flick.
If anything, the movie has few cameos and bit parts from some characters in the first which should, at the very least, leave you smiling as the credits roll. Like I said, its not as good as the first and hard core fans may find themselves a little disappointed as it doesn't quite fill the shoes of the original, but it is entertaining none the less. A good solid guy rental.
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