Synopsis: The MacManus brothers come out of retirement to avenge the murder of their beloved priest.
Release Date: October 30, 2009 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Action,
Film Review
Production
If we had the power to fast forward through movies in the cinema this would be the first one I would use the technology with. The movement between story lines during the first hour leaves you bored and uninterested. The detectives are merely baffling around while they drool over the new FBI agent assigned to the murder case that inevitably brings the Saints out of hiding and back to Boston. When the Saints are on screen it is a pleasure to watch. They have the charisma, chemistry, and comedy that makes for a great duo. Even their new sidekick, Romeo, adds a level of charm to their world of vengeance. If only the film merely focused on their story directly and left the rest of the movie, including the lame and disruptive flashbacks, on the cutting room floor it would have made for a great film.
There is also the great disappointment with the poor attempt at creating a Godfather-esque family with Judd Nelson portraying the boss Concezio Yakavetta. The moment he opens his mouth and the raspy voice of his character is heard you cannot help but roll your eyes at what a disgrace this performance is to the history of amazing gangsters on screen. If you ever thought he may be a force to be reckoned with you immediately lose any hope of that when he chooses his weapon of choice to make a point to one of his guys, a gigantic salami. If it was intentional to make him and his gang look like a bunch of buffoonish thugs the Director, Troy Duffy, exceeded beyond belief. He did not succeed in having the audience understand his intentions though. Only adding to this disgrace is the napoleon complex given to one of the antagonists as well as the holier than now judging of the other one. Their motivation is never really explained and the one explanation you do receive is fraught with holes.
If you can hold out until the last 40 minutes you will finally begin to enjoy yourself and find little wrong with the movie at all. It is just getting to this point that hurts.
Editing
This film had two editors working on it during production. It is impossible to know which individual did what parts so unfortunately they must both take the blame. When moving between the storylines the cuts made from non-diegetic music in a scene to one that is purely diegetic noise are so choppy and awkward it is uncomfortable for the ear. The cuts are made at any moment without concern for the music being played or how it will move into the next scene. This occurs frequently in the first half of the film giving it a very amateurish feel. It does improve with the second half of the movie when fades are utilized more often making for smoother transitions. Plus, the final climactic gun fight is executed perfectly in terms of editing. The pacing, the use of sound, the varying shots utilized – all make for an excellent showdown.
Action Sequences
So much set-up, so little action. That sums up this entire movie in terms of the action sequences. There is plenty of gun fighting extravagance but it is encapsulated to short scenes that are few and far between. They are satisfying when you get them, but all you can think about as the story moves along is when will they happen. The payoff may be big but its not enough to call this film a fulfilling action flick.
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Troy Duffy
- Producer(s): Troy DuffySean Patrick Flanery (Connor MacManus)
- Screenwriter(s): Norman Reedus (Murphy MacManus)Billy Conncolly (Poppa M)Peter Fonda (The Roman)
- Story: Judd Nelson (Concezio Yakavetta)
- Cast: Bill DeRondePaul KumpataMiroslaw BaszakDan Yarhi
- Editor(s): Georgina Yarhi
- Cinematographer: Jeff DannaMr. X
- Production Designer(s):
- Costume Designer:
- Casting Director(s):
- Music Score:
- Music Performed By:
- Country Of Origin: USA