BOONDOCK SAINTS II, THE: ALL SAINTS DAY - DVD review

Like so many, I completely missed "The Boondock Saints" a decade ago when it hit theaters. I remember watching the DVD with a buddy in high school. He told me it was basically the greatest thing since sliced bread, and I thought it was entertaining, though hardly spectacular. The same holds true for "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day." The action is fast, the violence plentiful, the profanity relentless and the comedy dark. But the performances are average, the script is poor and the flow riddled with speed bumps.

Films like this are really guilty pleasures. Loaded with violence, bloodshed and thinly stretched storylines, they manage to entertain and keep your interest by masking their shortcomings with other cinematic devices and elements. Sure, this is a generalization, but think about your favorite action flick and the things that make it work. I'll bet there is more overlap with this sequel from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment than meets the eye.

Troy Duffy is back again to write and direct, and many familiar faces from the original reprise their roles in the sequel. The things I remember most from the original (action, violence, profanity and dark comedy) are back in full force, yet the sequel feels more scripted and planned. I appreciated how the first film was almost like guerilla filmmaking, with some unsanded edges here and there. Part II is clearly more cinematic, but somehow doesn't flow as well as the original. How fascinating that the first film, with its less than conventional feel, flows better than the more methodical and cinematic sequel.

All that made the original popular carries into the second film, but there are a few add ons put into place that I could have done without. The add ons aren't significant distractions, but when you're looking to push the action, they do slow the pace. Rather than maintain a steady flow, the film jumps up and down like a roller coaster. It works for a little while, but becomes frustrating rather fast.

It has been a long eight years since the MacManus brothers, Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus), left their mark in Boston. After a helping hand from their father Noah (Billy Connolly) to assassinate a well-known mobster, the Saints fled to their native Ireland and disappeared. You might think all that time secluded softened Connor and Murphy up a bit, but they leap into action after word comes that a popular Boston priest was killed using their trademark assassination style. In mere moments, the facial hair is groomed, weapons dug up and bags packed for the east coast.

En route, the Saints meet a Mexican named Romeo (Clifton Collins, Jr.) who recognizes them. He's a fighter who compensates for his less than superb IQ with toughness, and convinces them to let him join the entourage. Their ship ride features some down time, and the trio picks up on a radio broadcast that suggests a man named Concezio Yakavetta (Judd Nelson), son of the well-known mobster assassinated in the first film, hired a hit man to take out the priest and lure the Saints back to Boston.

Remember detectives Greenly (Bob Marley), Duffy (Brian Mahoney) and Dolly (David Ferry) from the first film? They're back, too, and after seeing the priest's murder scene, they get pretty paranoid that they'll be exposed for indirectly helping the Saints get away with their earlier crimes. A woman from the FBI named Eunice Bloom (Julie Benz) shows up and starts working with the detectives, eventually deciphering that they weren't behind this one. Soon thereafter, the Saints hit Boston and begin their search for those out to frame them.

The plot takes a few turns and liberties I won't divulge, but eventually Noah shows up and shares a few secrets with his sons about how this whole situation has its roots dating back well over half a century. The back story paints a slightly different picture than you might expect, and the film actually ends with the Saints unable to disappear as they did in the original. However, an old friend comes to their aid with a plan in place to help them get back on the job as soon as possible.

The script is unfortunately quite poor in "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day." Duffy has a wisecrack or two along the way, but other than verbal threats and four letter words, I remember very little. Thankfully, the dialogue takes a backseat to the violent action sequences. Handguns, shotguns, chains and sunglasses all permeate and contribute to the stunts. Whether or not characters are repelling from buildings or busting through wooden crates, these scenes are visual candy that likely tastes as good as it looks. Plenty of bloody dead bodies get their fifteen minutes of fame in this one.

Flanery and Reedus do a good job resurrecting their characters, although their chemistry has its ups and downs. The pair were almost flawless the first time around, but something is slightly off kilter in this adventure. They bicker and compete unnecessarily, yet manage to always get the job done. I suppose working with family will do that to you. Speaking of family, Connolly is quite decent as the father behind the Saints. His character appears very reserved in the early going, but flips a switch to light speed as the film winds down. In many ways, this film is just as much about him.

Supporting characters leave much to be desired. Benz's female FBI operative adds nothing but over confidence and an irritating voice. It felt like she was in place to add a new dynamic to the law enforcement side, perhaps filling a void left by Willem Dafoe's character Paul Smecker. She misses the mark, and is more annoying to listen to than anything else. One scene sees Benz dressed as a cowgirl, egging the Saints on as they attack mobsters in a fancy apartment high rise. She takes up space and smiles really big, but otherwise is a lost cause.

Collins, Jr. feels like the third wheel, out of place and not really sure where he fits in, if at all. His Mexican heritage is the butt for multiple bad jokes, and more than once he is made out to be incompetent or incapable. As the Saints take Romeo to an under the table colleague where they attain weapons, he reaches for two guns with the Mexican flag's colors on their handles, asking "What? You think these make me look gay?" Sigh. In trying to be funny, Collins, Jr. over does it and strikes out.

I should note that the mobsters do look fairly authentic. Out of shape, baggy clothed and alcoholic is the standard mold, and these gents fill the void easily. Of course, many just had to stand around and utter a word or two, not actually be a significant character role. They look like trouble on the surface, the sort of folks it is best not to bother. Unless, of course, you're the Saints.

The fact that the Saints are out to get bad guys but do so in their own unique way presents a moral dilemma. Is it more important to get such bad guys what they deserve via justice and law, or by whatever means necessary? The Saints tend to be sure those who are guilty pay the price, yet in doing so they become criminals themselves. And despite it all, they public favors them because they get results. It's an interesting question that doesn't get the screen time it should in "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," probably because it would have distracted from the elements that propel the film. And considering there are some other bumps in the road, another distraction may have been disastrous.

Video:
A 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen video transfer comes our direction, and it provides a decently clear image throughout. Sadly, both brights and darks appear subdued as the film runs its course. Nothing outlandishly colorful really stands out; instead, things blend in and are less dynamic and vivid. Minimal grain is present, but the image's clarity is lost as the less than enthusiastic coloration permeates. If the color were half as over the top as some of the performances, we'd be in business.

Audio:
Think traditional action film noise and you'll hit this title's audio just right. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is fine for dialogue and music, but the sound a bullet makes as it pierces flesh or the contact from a punch to a jaw just doesn't come through as thoroughly as it could. Sure, these sounds are there, but they could be better annunciated. Cranking up the volume an extra notch or two helps, but it can't overcompensate for the lacking audio. Other audio tracks include French, Thai and Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1 options and a Spanish Dolby surround choice. The film has subtitles in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Extras:
Good things here, including audio commentaries with cast and crew, deleted scenes and two featurettes: "Unprecedented Access: Behind the Scenes" and "Billy Connolly and Troy Duffy: Unedited." As with most extras, if you like the film, you'll like the add ons. One thing you'll notice in the extras is the desire from those consulted to do more with the first film than was possible, hence the sequel.

A Final Word:
"The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" relies on excessive violence, drinking and language that only take it so far. It is fun to watch if you enjoyed the original, but while the plot deepens, the characters don't develop at a similar level. I doubt it will develop the same loyal following, but it might entertain you once. Or twice. Or once.