Another Take: Boondock Saints 2? Yes, Please!

It’s been almost ten years since The Boondock Saints -- are we ready for another one? The answer is of course, a resounding yes. The Boondock Saints burst upon the scene in 1999, bringing with it some tough questions and interesting social commentary. Sources say that much of the cast, minus Willem Dafoe, has signed on again with great excitement. The Boondock Saints enjoyed a very limited release and came into it’s own as a cult classic, beloved for the unconventional story, masterful acting and uncompromising action.

It’s going to be interesting to see how director Troy Duffy handles a sequel. Duffy was able to tap into a general feeling of helplessness that can pervade a large city overrun with crime, and played this theme quite well for a first-time screenwriter and director. Will the brothers be ten years older, still fighting for justice and equality in the dark streets of Boston? A possible interesting turn could be that one of the brothers has fallen away, perhaps turning brother against brother. Though it’s infinitely cooler to see the twins battling side by side, working as one mind, this tension could provide a chance to delve deeper into the real nature of the brothers and their battle with good and evil.

Some of the finest things about Boondock Saints -- beside the incredibly inventive action sequences that left one gasping for air -- were the moral dilemmas and religious commentary that provided the backbone of the film. The brothers, Connor and Murphy MacManus, were genuinely interested in rooting out the evildoers of the world, and even the cops in the film admit that they are doing a good job, working outside the law. The law can often be seen as powerless to affect any real change, or as causing change so slowly that it's of no use. Perhaps this is why superheroes such as Batman have so ingrained themselves in the cultural consciousness. We root for those that take an alternative approach to handling the problems of the world. Of course, Batman usually doesn’t go in with both guns blazing, taking out pimps and drug lords galore.

While we cheer on the brothers MacManus, hoping they’ll take out as many evil-doers as they can, there lingers a nagging thought in the back of our minds. What really separates the brothers from psychopathic murderers? Are they qualified to be making value judgments about morality, one of the most difficult subjects to arbitrate? The first film didn’t deal extensively with this moral problem. Will the second pass over these more interesting elements, relying heavily on the “awesome” factor to woo us away from these questions? While we’re not sure what the second film will be, here’s hoping that the brothers MacManus take on all comers, that fight scenes are epic and plentiful, and that justice is served.

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