The Boondock Saints

The film The Boondock Saints tells the story of Connor and Murphy MacManus, two Irish brothers, who accidently kill two mafia thugs. They turn themselves in and are released as heroes. They then come to view it as a calling from God to cleanse the crime-ridden streets of Boston. They believe that they are called to “destroy all that is evil so that which is good may flourish.” Following this moral reasoning, the brothers begin knocking off some of Boston’s worst criminals one by one. By targeting big time mobsters in major organized crime circles they attract the attention of FBI detective, Paul Smecker. As he investigates the crimes he comes to question the actual urgency and importance of catching these “saints.” The closer he comes to catching the brothers the more he believes that they are doing the right thing. This poses an ethical dilemma for the FBI, police, and detectives featured whose jobs are to help bring criminals to justice, because in a way the brothers are doing just that.

Although killing is traditionally seen as a sin, religion is portrayed as the reason behind the MacManus brothers’ violent vigilantism. The film even opens with the brothers attending Mass, immediately emphasizing the value they place on religion. The line of morality is blurred because although the brothers are committing murder, they are getting rid of criminals who steal, rape, and kill innocent people on the regular. In the film’s opening scene, the brothers kneel to pray at the alter as the priest speaks aloud, “Of course we must fear evil men, but there is another evil that we must fear more… and that is the indifference of good men.” This line serves as a good theme for the film as the law enforcement officials come to see Connor and ...

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... no one becomes too powerful. We can rest assured that justice will continue to be administered by the State, not violently enforced by men who call themselves “Saints.”

Bibliography

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