DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 108 minutes, two feature audio commentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, original theatrical trailer, cast and crew filmographies, printable script

STUDIO:  20th Century FOX/ Franchise Pictures

RELEASE DATE: 5-23-2006

BOONDOCK SAINTS is one crazy, cool, and stylish movie. Willem Dafoe steals the show as gay FBI agent Paul Smecker. BOONDOCK SAINTS also brings some strong discussion to the table. Should people be allowed to be vigilantes if they only kill the bad guys? The movie is about two Irish brothers (played by Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus)who believe they are destined by God to rid the world of the bad guys. It gets to the point that a Mob boss gets a killer out of jail to stop the two brothers. This release contains the uncut version of BOONDOCK SAINTS that the MPAA rated NC-17 and a couple minutes of violence and some slow motion scenes had to be edited to get an R rating. BOONDOCK SAINTS is the highest grossing direct to video title for rentals at Blockbuster. I can't wait for the sequel whenever it gets made (too bad Willem Dafoe won't be in it).

VIDEO: 2.35 (Anamorphic Widescreen)/ 1.33:1 (Full Frame)

You have two versions of the film on a flipper disc. Why should you watch the pan and scan version of it anyway, you should see it in it's intended ratio (2.35:1). Fox should have only included the widescreen version and maximized the bit rate more.

AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dialogue is clear. Surround action not bad at all.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Two audio commentaries are on disc one: the first is an old audio commentary with director Troy Duffy (he couldn't record a new one since it would muddle the legal case 20th Century Fox has against the producers that own the film) and the second with actor Billy Connolly. Neither track is too interesting. They both get tiring after a while. Billy continues to praise the film for too long while Troy is a little dry.

The second disc has 7 deleted and extended scenes (about 19 minutes total). Only the first two scenes are great. The outtakes reel is too short and only slightly funny. Filmographies for the four main actors and the director are also included. The original theatrical trailer (is in 1.33:1), a one minute trailer for the Donnie Darko Director's Cut, and a printable version of the Boondock Saints script (which you can look at if you have a DVD-ROM on your computer and InterActual Player) round up the extras.

FINAL ANALYSIS: TEH BOONDOCK SAINTS is one hell of a film with a nice collector's case to boot.

this review is (c)6-1-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link to the review). Look for additional content at http://enterlinemedia.livejournal.com and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com