Santos Justiceiros II - O Retorno

This movie definitely let me down. It wasn't taken seriously, even by the actors. I'm sure it was very fun to make and I might have even enjoyed it a little bit if I didn't know the original existed. Granted, the first is a very hard act to follow, but it could have been much better. The first half of the movie I wanted to walk out, though the second was somewhat redeeming it just wasn't enough. I think Troy Duffy should give me my money back and start making music again. He had a brilliant idea with the first one and got very lucky making it so good, the second it is clear he was just having a good time with the cast and basking in the nostalgia of the first. I'm sorry, but this movie just isn't good.

For those of us who have been cult fans of the original, the last ten years have been a long ten. It was only a short while after the first film that they announced a sequel, but that sequel never came about. Then, finally, after all this time, here we are with All Saints Day, and it's a film that should entertain most, if not all fans. Unfortunately, it isn't quite the sequel I had hoped for.

Saints II picks up with the Saints having moved to Ireland after their vigilante spree throughout Boston. When a priest is killed in Boston, the Saints return to find the killer and take out everyone involved. The story soon opens up into a deeper plot about past sins coming back to haunt their characters.

All Saints Day continues the duologue slick, trigger happy style of the first film with rapid fire gun play, film homages, and snapfire duologue that is throughly entertaining. The gun play here is even more stylized, and it makes for some very entertaining action packed scenes that should please everyone who loved the first film. Most of the old cast has returned, and then there is the new cast, who bring some entertaining acting chops with them, mostly in the form of comic relief. Suffice to say, everything you liked about the first one is here, so if you were a fan of that film, you'll most likely love the sequel.

Unfortunately, All Saints Day isn't quite up to par with that first film. Where the first film had a natural flow to it, the sequel is somewhat disjointed, and the cast seems to try too hard. While everyone is real cool and funny, a lot of it seems to be too over the top, and after a while it begins to work against the film. Julie Benz and Clifton Collins Jr. try to make up for their first films counterparts, that being Wilem Defoe and David Della Rocco respectively, but are poor substitutes. Where these characters from the first one seemed to be very natural and perfect in their element, the new cast members seem to be trying to make up for a lack of said characters, and it shows. There are also several silly and useless scenes that, while creative, are out of place and could have very well been left out of the film. In particular is a dream sequence with a character from the first film and a scene with Julie Benz character as a cowgirl.

Fortunately, the end of the film is save by a fantastic climax headed by Billy Connely and Peter Fonda. Their scene at the end is some of the best written stuff of either of the films and these veteran actors bring all their chops to this film. Adding to this is a very pleasant bit part from a Boondock Saints favorite that should leave fans smiling as they leave the theater.

Saints II is a film for the fans, that's for sure. It may even encourage some to go see the first if they haven't seen it already, though this isn't all that likely. But, this is a very entertaining and decently written film that continues this great vigilante tale and may even lead to more. As fans, we can only hope to see more of the Saints in the future.

To tell you the truth, I was no big fan of the first Boondock Saints. I thought the violence was gratuitous, the plot stupid, and the dialogue boring. After watching this one, I can confidently say that Troy Duffy has matured and made a film with much more quality. Sure, the over-the-top violence is still here, and so is the naughty language, and even the crude jokes, but now, the plot and the dialogue seem so much more mature.

That said, there are somethings that could be improved in this film. I think this movie would have worked better as a 90 minute action flick, but it was actually pushing the two hour line, and I believe that is a bit too long.

However this is nitpicking. The Boondock Saints II is a funny, cool, action packed, and maybe even though provoking look into the actions of two vigilantes.

Don't let the lack of promotion for "Boondock Saints 2" fool you. The fans are clamoring for it. The plot picks up in Ireland where brothers Connor (Sean Patrick Flannery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) McManus are hiding out after the events of the last movie. A priest shot in Boston, in the same style the brothers are known for, makes them the prime suspects. Writer/ director Troy Duffy is going for the old-school Charles Bronson-style vigilante movie, and achieves something pretty close to that. He even goes with that cool voice-over quote you hear in trailers all the time, "they wanted to call them out, there's just one problem, it worked." Then cue the hard-rock. The movies villain is Concezio Yakavetta (Judd Nelson), son of the mob boss the brothers killed in the first film and he wants revenge. An FBI Agent (Julie Benz) is brought in to investigate the murders, taking over for Willem Dafoe as the one cop who can imagine in great detail (which of course is done in flashback) exactly how each murder went down. There is also some back-story about Papa McManus (Billy Connelly) that eventually ties into the plot. Duffy is eager to please, going with guns-blazing, lots of tough-talk, heart-beat style splicing, a lot of slow-mo (a naked shower scene, gun fights, a sexy chick's legs just to name a few), cool sunglasses, religious overtones and childish jokes (gay gags, naked ass), but his writing doesn't really crack between lulls of action and he has less stylistic discipline than Michael Bay.

The whole thing is like bland Tarantino (guys playing with guns, killing bad-guys, sums it up). Basically the fans get a chance to oooh and ahhh over familiar characters (while creating some new ones), although most of the supporting players are gratingly stupid for the interest of cheap laughs. It's mindless fun though and for the most part, Duffy captures that. The cast is all game, with Julie Benz being the sultry, fun to watch highlight and Nelson chewing scenery. Clifton Collin's wild-eyed Mexican sidekick character would be an example of grating though. If you loved the first one, you'll love this. If you were indifferent to it, then you'll be like me. And if you hated it, look elsewhere. Either way, it looks like a third movie is coming.

This whole movie feels forced, it is as though one of 'the saints' put a gun to the creators head and demanded a sequel.

The only people who are going to watch this are those who liked the original (which was a great niche action movie 8/10 stars). BSII fails to love up to the original in every way; interesting & entertaining characters are replaced with cheap & annoying ones; old gimmicks are simply rehashed; the leads look old & tired; recurring characters look lost & bewildered; and where the original BS story was simple, tight, & original, BS2's plot is overcomplicated and contrived.

There are some thrills and spills to be had in BSII, but it is difficult to watch something fall so far short from the quality of the original.

On the Fruit-Meter, BSII gets the "SULTANA (or RAISEN)' – The original grape was fresh and juicy, the sequel has lost all the original zesty flavours and has too many wrinkles.