The Boondock Saints: Special Edition

This is a re-release of the sociopathic cult movie that established Troy Duffy despite his best efforts to the contrary. And as a representation of his state of mind, it's actually much more troubling than that slashing decline-and-fall documentary Overnight. Only a deranged alpha-male bully could have come up with this tale of two marginal Irish Catholic brothers (Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery) who, after a spectacular tussle with the Russian mob, are reborn as vigilante killers on a mission to clean up the streets. Except the boys don't seem to have any real moral convictions: they (and Duffy) use self-righteousness as an excuse to commit brutal acts, recruiting excitable David Della Rocca when they need backup. The film is awkwardly directed and clumsily written, as well as being frequently offensive when involving pursuing gay cop Willem Dafoe; nevertheless, it's a fascinating example of an angry butch jackass unloading the contents of his brain. Where even James Toback and Larry Clark give themselves moral alibis, Duffy has the oblivious self-confidence to say whatever pops into his head and not care what actually happens, and his outrageous arrogance is good for sending your jaw smashing through the floor. By the time Billy Connolly shows up as a mad-dog killer and Dafoe dons drag for purposes too ludicrous to mention, its refusal to censor its brutal ignorance makes for the greatest drinking game of all time. Great cinema it's not, but as pathology it's as fascinating as a serial killer case history — and if the script is any indication, it may yet become one. Extras on the "not so special" special edition include a commentary by Duffy that's full of barroom philosophising and macho sentiment, cast and crew bios, a deleted scenes reel and an outtakes reel. (Maple)