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The Boondock Saints

The Boondock Saints

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.

1999108 minRMidcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Director
Troy Duffy
Starring
Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco

Tired of the crime overrunning the streets of Boston, Irish Catholic twin brothers Conner and Murphy are inspired by their faith to cleanse their hometown of evil with their own brand of zealous vigilante justice. As they hunt down and kill one notorious gangster after another, they become controversial folk heroes in the community. But Paul Smecker, an eccentric FBI agent, is fast closing in on their blood-soaked trail.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Boondock Saints?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Boondock Saints streaming on Hulu, Peacock, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Boondock Saints?

The Boondock Saints earns 9 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Action.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is The Boondock Saints worth watching?

The Boondock Saints' Midcredits score is the 92nd percentile of all films, from 444K ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

92nd percentile

Better received than 92% of films

96th percentile among Action92nd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)94th

73 /100

86th percentile of all films

94th percentile among Action89th percentile among 1990s

Critics 44 · Audience 74

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action95th percentile among 1990s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 26% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

98th percentile

443K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action97th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6M
Opening weekend$20K
Domestic gross$52K
Worldwide gross$52K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 14th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A stylish, over-the-top vigilante action comedy that divides audiences on whether its excess is part of its charm or its fatal flaw.

Fans praised

  • Willem Dafoe's wildly entertaining performance
  • Fun blend of dark humor, stylish action, and quotable dialogue
  • Brothers' chemistry and the film's infectious cult energy

Detractors panned

  • Derivative style-over-substance storytelling
  • Unbelievable plot logic and paper-thin character depth
  • Gratuitous violence and repetitive profanity used as a crutch

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Dafoe's scene-stealing turn praised; lead duo's chemistry noted but accents criticized by detractors

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

Balletic, over-the-top shootouts praised by fans as entertainment

PacingDivisive70

Fast-paced and energetic for fans; some critics find it repetitive

HumorDivisive65

Dark comedy and absurd moments land for fans; detractors see it as juvenile

DialogueDivisive60

Snappy one-liners and quotable lines vs. over-reliance on profanity

CharactersDivisive55

Memorable caricatures versus paper-thin, undeveloped archetypes

Plot and storyDivisive50

Simple vigilante premise with logical gaps; fans enjoy the ride, detractors call it incoherent

OriginalityDivisive40

Derivative of Tarantino and Ritchie; fans see it as a fun fusion, detractors call it a rip-off

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 18 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 12 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Boondock Saints like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
TenseThrillingAbsurd
Heaviest: throughout
Dark humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Sardonic · 1% of films: Mocking with a bitter edge.Adventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film plays its vigilante fantasy with a knowing, darkly comic edge, balancing brutal violence with absurd humour and a self-aware swagger.
The rideThe film maintains a high tension through action scenes while layering in absurd comedy, with violence and dark humor coexisting from start to finish.
StructureThe film presents many of the brothers' attacks as flashbacks from the police investigation, creating a nonlinear narrative that jumps between present and past.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's blend of brutal action and dark humour leaves viewers both entertained and questioning the morality of its vigilante heroes.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe McManus brothers receive a divine calling and systematically eliminate organized crime figures in Boston, fitting the overcoming_the_monster archetype with the mafia as the tyrant they must overthrow.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% (this title) · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsFaith · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores vigilante justice as a moral response to a corrupt legal system, framed through Catholic faith and divine calling.
StanceThe film questions whether vigilante justice is righteous or dangerous, leaving the audience to decide through the ending interviews.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jeff Danna
SettingBoston's Irish Catholic working-class neighborhoods and mob-run underworld
MusicThe score blends Celtic-inflected motifs with tense orchestral cues, underscoring the brothers' Irish identity and the film's heightened tone.

Content guide

Is The Boondock Saints okay for kids?

R

The Boondock Saints is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence, language and sexual content” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (58/100), language at severe (92/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (60/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 87% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK18
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany18
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-18
  • Netherlands16
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 92% of all filmsHeavier than 87% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 71%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 53%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, violence, frightening material, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Boondock Saints have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Boondock Saints?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Willem Dafoe
as Paul Smecker
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sean Patrick Flanery
as Connor MacManus
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Norman Reedus
as Murphy MacManus
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Della Rocco
as Rocco
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Billy Connolly
as Il Duce
Bob Marley
as Detective Greenly
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Brian Mahoney
as Detective Duffy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Gerard Parkes
as Doc
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
David Ferry
as Detective Dolly
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Carlo Rota
as Yakavetta
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Boondock Saints?

Movies like The Boondock Saints include The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009), R.I.P.D. (2013) and The Medallion (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in New England, and several are gangster films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its world: Boston. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Boondock Saints?

559 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: chosen one. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.