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Troy Duffy tries again for cinematic blessings with Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

Writer/Director Troy Duffy is a man on a mission, to be vindicated.  His 1999 film Boondock Saints was fairly much DOA when it was premiered.  Set in Boston, the story is of two brothers (Sean Patrick Flanery and Murphy MacManus) who accidentally kill mafia thugs.  Once released, they become God’s warriors of the street while being chased by an FBI agent (Willem Dafoe) .  It is a gun-blazing piece of violent action that makes more wild turns than a roller coaster to hell. 

After the events in Columbine, the company had no confidence in the little flick. Troy himself put up the money to have it play in five theaters for two weeks. That should have been the end of the story but in a world of second chances, Boondock Saints has become the king.  Blockbuster Video released the film as a part of the “Blockbuster Exclusive” series where it became one of their most in-demand titles.  That exclusive status lead to a broader DVD distribution.  In 2002 the film took off internationally with millions in sales.  Troy said, “There is nothing better than having fans do it on their own.”  Even eight years later, the film still does massive business in DVD sales and rentals. “Somehow,” he said, “the film caught on fire.”  It created a cult around the film and Troy said, “Cult is the coolest word in film”

So, the logical thing to do is make a sequel.  Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day takes up the the characters many years later.  The brothers are living in farm house isolation, still dreaming of being back in Boston.  When a tragedy happens the brothers have to find a way back to American and hunt down those responsible for the injustice.  Along the way, they befriend both underground mobsters and street smart agents.  It is full-bore action piece, filled to the brim with gun play and stunts.  “We knew that we could not screw-up one and do anything that would violate anything in Boondock I.  If the second we did that, we would have lost everyone.”  Troy said that even the guys pulling cables demanded perfection in the second story.

When asked why he thought that the Boondock fans are so adamant, Troy broke it down to a guttural level.  “One of the seeds was when you see that type of a story on the news. A story like a four year-old being raped and tortured.  Then they catch the guy.  Whither you are gay, straight, black, white,  liberal, conservative—everybody I believe has that instant gut reaction.  ‘That MF should die for doing that.’  95% of us don’t say that and even fewer of us do anything about it but I believe that we all have that gut reaction feeling.  I think that may be one of the secrets of Boondocks, to play with that fantasy a little bit and relieve a little bit of pressure.  I have said it a million times, we make movies that people pay ten bucks to see and I don’t want to feel like I’ve been ripped off.”

Troy talked about how so few sequels have worked and proposed a theory about why second stories like Godfather II, Aliens and Terminator II succeed.  “They give you everything you love about the first film plus a brand new curve ball plot that you could never see coming,” he said.  “Big risk—big reward on the sequels.  That kind of risk in the sequel makes it pay off.  I made the first film the way I wanted to and kept the vibe on the second one.”

Troy admits that he had planned a Boondock sequel from the moment he finished the last film.  “I left the door open for sequel,” he said.  The lawsuit between the makers of Boondock and the production company became a five year battle with the sequel rights tied up in the process.  Once the lawsuits were over Troy said that he had the rights for Boondock II sold within minutes.  Though there are ideas for another Boondock adventure, Troy said that he wants to “ride this one out and see where it takes us.” He called the preview screenings “a madhouse”.  “I don’t know why Boondock fans feel the need to get us hammered after every screening.  We’re like 100% all the time.”  Ever since the release of Boondock I a decade ago, Troy has been in contact with the fans, getting their input and listening to their suggestions.  Even though the film is full of famous actors, Troy tried to go against type.  He explained,  “I think that’s exciting.  I don’t want to see the same guy do the same stuff in the same movie.”

His road to becoming a Hollywood success seems a serpentine path.  When asked what advice he would give to a young person trying to break into the film business, Troy said,  “Try and make sure you have talent and find a way in somehow.  You can’t just do one thing well anymore.  You can go to Best Buy and get everything you need to make a film.  It is just a lot different and you have to be more proactive.” 

Finally, Troy was asked why Boondock is still a success after all these years, Troy said very matter of fact, “If you build it, they will come.”

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