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.
