The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, the celebrated sequel to the cult smash original, hits DVD and Blu-ray on March 9, and we went right to the heart of all things Boondock for the goods on one of the best vigilante franchises in modern film.
It's been a decade since the McManus brothers (played by Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) retreated to the remote Irish coastline with their father, the infamous Il Duce, legendary assassin-for-hire. But when they learn that they're been framed for the murder of a Boston Catholic priest, the boys must return to America to not only clear their names but find the men who framed them.
We caught up with writer/director Troy Duffy, the creator of the Boondock Saints universe, to get some perspective on the film, a look inside the mind of the man himself, and a hint at what lies ahead for the brothers McManus.
CraveOnline: Outside your own creative world, what are your favorite vigilantes on film?
Troy Duffy: Dirty Harry. Eastwood is the man.
CraveOnline: Why do you think women love these films so much, despite the outrageously awesome violence?
Troy Duffy: I think women secretly yearn for the return of John Wayne and don't even know it. Our society has become so "huggy sharey" that a lot of women are suddenly feeling like, "What the fuck happened to real men?" Connor and Murphy stand on their own, don't ask permission or for your acceptance. Real men. Real women tend to like that.
CraveOnline: What kind of director's cut can we look forward to for Boondock Saints II?
Troy Duffy: Huge! I had almost an hour and a half of extra scenes and footage. It will be a Boondock extravaganza. Just the extended cut has 23 minutes of extra stuff. Director's cut (which I haven't done yet) will likely double that.
CraveOnline: I'm sure it'll be a while before a third Boondock Saints movie gets off the ground, but what ideas, if any, do you have for the film?
Troy Duffy: I've got some stuff percolating under my bonnet, but that's a whale. Gonna take time.
CraveOnline: You mentioned having written four scripts besides the second Boondock that you wanted to make. Any word on The Good King or anything else you've got cooking?
Troy Duffy: I'm going out with one of two scripts I have written. One is The Good King, a buddy comedy set in the 1500's, and the other is a serial killer thriller called The Blood Spoon Council. Both will please Boondock fans in my opinion.
CraveOnline: Stage 6 has come to be known for sending a good number of its sequels straight to video. But they were smart enough to release your sequel theatrically - they didn't underestimate the fans, who are just as rabid now as they ever were for the Boondock universe. Was the theatrical release a part of the initial deal for the film, or just a wise decision on their part?
Troy Duffy: Wise decision on their part. We were all keeping our fingers crossed but they they merged from the hallowed halls of the studio and said "We're going theatrical." Couldn't believe it.
CraveOnline: Do you still play music? What do you play? What do you get out of it?
Troy Duffy: Yeah, I play guitar. Gibson Les Paul. Right now I back my brother Taylor who is a little genius of a songwriter. I guess it will always be a part of who I am. Other creative outlets besides film help keep the wheels greased a bit. My other hobbies include knitting, scrimshaw, reading poetry out loud from my porch, collecting early '70s Barbie dolls, holistic medicine and drinking exotic teas with an extended pinky. Oh, and boozing.
