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Created Aug 20, 2011 08:49PM PST • Edited Aug 22, 2013 01:26AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   The Boondock Saints traffics in cliches, smoothly and high mindedly at first, then over-the-top, ultimately jumping the shark entirely. Fortunately it’s a hell of a lot of fun the whole way down.

   It tells the tall tale of twin brothers who rise from the Irish precincts of South Boston to knock off bad guys who need killing. Half Boston character study, half action exploitation, no wonder it’s a cult hit.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Willem Dafoe’s a hoot, hamming it up as a cocky detective with a pronounced swish in his swagger. A high quality moviestar, Dafoe is worth watching even when over-acting in a role like this.

   Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are charming as the twins who rob and kill criminal kingpins for fun and fame.

   Notables from the rest of the large cast:

   • Billy Connolly as a legendary hitman.
   • Carlo Rota as a mafia kingpin. 24 fans may recognize him as Chloe’s husband Morris O’Brian, famously tortured with a drill, if memory serves.
   • Ron Jeremy, pornstar legend, as a mafia lieutenant. The dude exudes joie de virve.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    Troy Duffie’s sole creation is a nifty male fantasy, tongue-in-cheek, laconic, arch and well delivered.

    Sole creation? Yep. He’s written two and directed two movies: this one and its sequel. Guess he’s a specialist in natural born killers with Boston charm.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Good 3.0

    Shot in Canada. Guess that union labor thing didn’t work out so well Boston. Wicked pisser, that.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 2.8

17. Sex Titillating 2.0

18. Violence Brutal 2.6

19. Rudeness Nasty 3.7

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.2

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.5

23. Biological Surreal 2.4

24. Physical Glib 1.7