7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
Tired of the crime overrunning the streets of Boston, Irish Catholic twin brothers Conner and Murphy are inspired by their faith to cleanse their hometown of evil with their own brand of zealous vigilante justice. As they hunt down and kill one notorious gangster after another, they become controversial folk heroes in the community. But Paul Smecker, an eccentric FBI agent, is fast closing in on their blood-soaked trail.
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco, Billy ConnollyAction | 100% |
Thriller | 95% |
Crime | 84% |
Dark humor | 50% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.36:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
D-Box
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
If one were to combine Pulp Fiction with The Passion of the Christ; mix in a little of The Departed and just a sprinkle of Bonnie and Clyde, you'd have something like The Boondock Saints. It's a strange amalgamation of a film that attempts to be funny, violent and insightful, all at the same time, while never quite succeeding. The Boondock Saints is a cult film that failed miserably at the box-office; critics hated it and audiences weren't interested. Only through home video did the film ever find an audience; a pattern that seems to be repeating itself more frequently in recent years. The Boondock Saints has puzzled me for years and I've never been able to understand the film's appeal. So, thanks to Blu-ray, here's another chance.
Anyone purchasing a copy of The Boondock Saints on Blu-ray, expecting to find a
pristine looking film that dazzles the senses, is bound to be disappointed with the video
contained on this release. Despite AVC Mpeg-4 encoding at 1080p, in the film's original
theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1, this Blu-ray encode exposes the film's visual limitations and
budgetary constraints. Inconsistency reigns with The Boondock Saints; the print is
dirty, scarred and abused, while cheap film stock hampers almost every frame.
Black levels vary throughout the presentation; deep in some scenes, crushed in others. Colors are
often vivid, but occasionally dull. Detail also lacks consistency; it's exceptionally rendered throughout most of the film, while occasionally devolving into non-
existent softness. While it is clear that The Boondock Saints looks better on Blu-ray
than on DVD, the upgrade isn't nearly as dramatic as the transition viewers have
experienced with other releases. Proceed with caution.
The Boondock Saints fares quite a bit better in the audio department; the film's 5.1
DTS-HD Master Audio track does an exceptional job of presenting the action-packed film as
dynamically as possible. I'm pretty certain that the original sound mix for The Boondock
Saints was nowhere near as active as this track, but it's a nice upgrade that manages
to overshadow some of this disc's video troubles. Thankfully, lossless encoding has helped
to make the main characters' Irish brogues a bit more intelligible, though the thick accents
still occasionally come across as mumbled and rushed. Perhaps the original recordings are
at fault; perhaps I'm just not accustomed to the dialect.
There's plenty of surround activity in The Boondock Saints; directional effects and
discreet spatial ambience are used to great effect throughout the movie. Bass is also
tremendously effective, creating an exceptional bottom-end that anchors every action
scene. Fans of The Boondock Saints are bound to be impressed with the track; I'm
very pleased with the appreciable upgrade that the Blu-ray edition offers over previous DVD
releases. Recommended.
Here's what's included:
- Audio Commentary with director Troy Duffy
- Audio Commentary with actor Bill Connelly
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Complete The Boondock Saints Screenplay
- Theatrical Trailer
Fans expecting a true special edition of The Boondock Saints might end up a wee bit
disappointed with the supplements included on this Blu-ray release. The two feature-length
commentary tracks are the highlight of the set; Billy Connelly provides a reasonably
entertaining experience, while Troy Duffy is boring and difficult to listen to. From the way he
talks about his movie and himself, one would think Duffy was the most heralded director in
modern
cinema; he's clearly overly impressed with his own abilities. The film's deleted scenes and outtakes
are
presented in abysmal quality and don't offer much to the overall scope of the film. Finally,
Fox has included the complete screenplay for The Boondock Saints in a printable
form. Budding screenwriters now have the opportunity to pour over every intricate detail of
the film's script in a form that is suitable for autographs and edits. Get those red markers
out!
Since first seeing the film, I've been confounded by The Boondock Saints. There is certainly a lot to like about the movie; its spirited performances, inspired casting and a genuinely unique story seem to be the ingredients that foster a successful film. Unfortunately, these positive elements just never quite gel into a coherent narrative, and I always manage to part ways with The Boondock Saints asking myself what the point of the movie was. In spite of the flick's legions of fans, I can't help but feel that a good number of viewers will be left scratching their heads by the strange plot twists and characters. It's just a bizarre movie. Fox has done their best with this Blu-ray release, but the low budget origins of the film seriously limit the image quality. Audio fares better than the video and offers some nice surround action, but the supplementary section is pretty poor. The Boondock Saints has a built-in audience that will jump at the chance to own the film in high definition. Despite any flaws in this release, this is clearly the finest treatment that the film has yet received. Recommended for fans.
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San Diego Comic-Con 2013 Exclusive
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SDCC 2014 Exclusive
2000
Collectible Cover Art
2000
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Theatrical and Extended Cuts
2000
20th Anniversary Edition
2000
Director's Cut
2009
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2013
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Tokarev
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