Movie #88 - The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Sony Pictures Entertainment
2009 - Rated R - 1 hr 58 min
Director: Troy Duffy
Starring: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Julie Benz

Okay.  Let me start by saying that I didn't hate this movie.  I'm not sure I could hate anything with Connor and Murphy in it, seriously.  And ten years later, they revisit these characters with the same fun-loving attitude, though a bit hardened over time.  Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are not the problem here.

Neither is Julie Benz, or the trio of cops resuming their roles from the first film, as they struggle to find a way to keep the Saints protected - from each other at first.  Benz does her best at filling Dafoe's shoes, but it's not her fault that Smecker was so freakin' awesome in the first movie.  You just can't touch him, ya know?

I don't even blame the Rocco replacement, this time a crazy Mexican with tangled hair and uncontrollable impulses. We'll call him Rocco Junior.

I think the problem is that you go into this movie expecting it to be bigger and better than the first.  After all, it says II - doesn't that mean it has to be an improvement?  Duffy didn't do a horrible job, but at times he let his desire to please his fans take over.  There's just too many reused jokes and devices from the first movie.  Instead of making new jokes, we're subjected to a handful of recycled materials.  Eh.  It's fun to relive, but that's why we have DVDs of the first movie, Mr. Duffy.

And then there's the ending - which I won't give away if you haven't seen it - but it leaves everything wide open for a third movie.  Is that happening?  It almost has to for closure, thanks to the surprise guest at the end.  What the hell?

So I really want to like this one but I have mixed feelings.  I've decided to just enjoy it as another two hours of hot Irish guys, fun-loving action and crime, and a setting in my favorite city.

Movie #87 - The Boondock Saints

The Boondock Saints
Franchise Pictures
1999 - Rated NC-17 - 1 hr 58 min
Director: Troy Duffy
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly

I won't lie, I'm a little nervous to review this one because it's such a fan favorite. Luckily, I don't have anything negative to say. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and not just because it has two hot Irish guys and takes place in Boston.  Those are perks, for sure, but the accidental vigilante concept and the underlying sense of humor that Troy Duffy has written into his script make this a really unique movie.  Really, what's not to love?

I'd like to point out the rating of this film, which I did not know until I looked it up on IMDB.  Really, an NC-17? Really? Why?  Yeah, blood and gore, naked butts, gay sex after-glow... it's all there.  But I don't think it warrants the rating. 

Now, watching this movie for the hundredth time was fun, onward to the lesser-liked sequel...

Movie #79 - Blade II

Blade II
New Line Cinema
2002 - Rated R - 1 hr 57 min
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Norman Reedus

So let me get this straight, Whistler ain't dead? And now he's a vampire?

I hate when movies do this and they lie right to our faces. "Hey, remember how we didn't *show* him die in that last movie? We were totally kidding! Firing a gun at point blank range into your own temple doesn't *always* kill you, so we're capitalizing on this tiny percentage of failed suicide attempts to back our claim. Whistler ain't dead, the vampires got 'im, and you gotta come get him. Bitch."

On the plus side, Norman Reedus is a delight and Ron Perlman is an awesome bad guy.  The movie keeps your attention, but not in the same way the original did.  Snipes is still all "I'm not like Angel at all, Joss Whedon. Wanna fight about it?" and believable about it, too.  But really, I don't think this installment was necessary.