Blu-Ray Geek Brief: Boondock Saints
We had great pleasure in having Boondock Saints writer/director Troy Duffy on our podcast to talk about his experiences making Boondock Saints and the phenomenon that has happened since. We thought it only fair we take a look at the blu ray we helped Troy pimp. If you want to watch the full interview checkout Geekscape #214 with Troy Duffy.
The Boondock Saints is equal parts entertainment and frustration. The film is now ten years old and has left it’s dubious mark on Hollywood. Boondock Saints, for those few people who haven’t seen it or been told about it, is about two Irish brothers who believe they’ve been chosen by god to assasinate criminals. As the brothers, played by Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus, are hunting down mafia thugs while being chased themselves by an FBI agent, Willem Dafoe.
Boondock isn’t a deep movie. It’s very superficial and incredibly simple, and that is really half of it’s appeal. You don’t feel stupid for watching it, but you don’t have to waste any excess brain power either.
Troy Duffy, while being a divisive figure himself, managed to produce a coherent and effective movie. The dialogue feels like what you’d pick up listening to a bunch of guys bullshitting in a bar (which is where Duffy supposedly wrote most of it) and the story is definitely appealing to anyone who’s had to put up with a certain amount of shit in their lives.
The movie is worth revisiting, while there is nothing that makes me stop and recategorize it as my favorite film the new Blu Ray does show off that Duffy made a flashier film than many give him credit for.
The extra features added for the blu ray are only really worth checking out if you’re already a die hard Boondock fan and you want to hear stories you’ve memorized again so you can mouth the words.
From Fox Home Entertainment
Summary: The souls of the wicked shall be purified by blood—but only at the hands of two notorious vigilante brothers whose killing spree is a mission from God. The cult phenomenon THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: Truth & Justice Edition arrives on Blu-ray June 14th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Just in time for Father’s Day, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: Truth & Justice Edition contains both the R-rated and unrated director’s cut with digital copy for the first time and an all-new, never-before-seen bonus feature that pulls you even deeper into the gritty, action-packed Boondock’s world.
When a series of mysterious murders occur in Boston, the police begin to suspect that the deaths are vigilante killings perpetrated by twins Connor (Sean Patrick Flannery, To Live and Die) and Murphy (Norman Reedus, American Gangster) MacManus. Pursued by FBI Special Agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man 3), the devout Irish Catholic duo maintain innocence while wreaking havoc on the town dispensing their own brand of justice—a perverse, religious mission to rid Boston of all evil men. After enlisting the help of their friend Rocco (David Della Rocco, The Boondock Saints: All Saints Day), the brothers set out to hunt down every mobster and vicious criminal with unusual flair and dramatic style: by praying for each victim before the ensuing bloodbath. The Russian mob hires a hitman, the infamous ‘Il Duce’ (Billy Connolly, X-Files, I Want to Believe), to avenge the deaths of their comrades. However, the showdown between the MacManus twins and Il Duce ultimately leads to a shocking and unbelievable climax.
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: Truth & Justice Edition will be available on 2-Disc Blu-ray and Digital Copy in the U.S. only. Pre-book is May 4.
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: Truth & Justice Edition Blu-ray
Disc 1:
• Feature Film
• Theatrical Version
• Unrated Directors Cut
Special Features:
• ALL-NEW! The Boondock Saints – The Film and the Phenomenon
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Troy Duffy
• Audio Commentary with Actor Billy Connolly
• Outtakes
• Theatrical Trailer
• Deleted Scenes
Disc 2:
• Digital Copy
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS Blu-ray: (Catalog # 2273394)
Street Date: June 14, 2011
Pre-book Date: May 4, 2011
Screen Format: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English and Spanish
U.S. Rating: Theatrical Version – R
Director’s Cut – Unrated
Total Run Time: 2 hours, 52 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes
