Flipside Movie Emporium

[lorijo87]

Needed: Your opinion on whether The Boondock Saints is pro- or anti- vigilanteism (Private citizen taking matters into their own hands.) Are you pro or anti?

Writing a paper in English Comp. (writing class) and I need some ideas flowing through my head.

Thanx

[beltmann]

Your poll's phrasing assumes that the movie is indeed pro-vigilante, and doesn't leave room for an alternative view. In other words, the poll asks only for my position on vigilante justice in general, but doesn't ask about whether Boondock Saints promotes vigilante justice or not.
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"When I was in Barcelona they showed pornography on regular television. I'm assuming it's the same way in Mexico since they also speak Spanish." - IMDb user comment

[Monkeypox]

[the night watchman]

Like Eric said, your poll is unclear. I, myself, am "anti-vigilante," unless the vigilante in question is noble like Spider-Man or Batman as portrayed by Christian Bale in Batman Begins, or if he or she shares the same values and moral philosophy as I do. The movie Boondock Saints, on the other hand, seems to be pro-vigilante, so long as the bad guys are so very bad that their violent deaths are sanctioned by the Catholic god.

Do we get to see your paper after you're done with it?
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"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

[xAndyx]

I agree that the movie is pro-vigilante...but what I think people miss is that its actual message is not within this argument. The actual message is simple; there is something wrong with the system we have currently controling crime. Cops get paid off, crooks walk free, and a lot of innocent men are instead thrown in jail. It is the same basic story so see in a movie such as Batman Begins or Spiderman except this film pushes the boundries to a more realistic character that would lily come out of the situation. Honestly, who is more likly to become a vigalante...a flying bat or an actual person sick of seeing their neighborhood corrupted? I think the movie rather raises the question of whether vigilantism is correct or not as opposed to making a judgement; as seen by the closing credit sequence. I am obviously far too smart of a person to do around killing those people I feel are evil, and with my faith I also do not see any murder as a "pure" one, but it does raise an interesting arguement... Is what we are currently doing working?
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One day you will look behind you and you will see we three, and on that day, you will repent, and we will send you to whatever god you wish.

-The Boondock Saints

[lorijo87]

Yes, I think I will post my paper when I am completely done with it. Granted, it's not JUST whether or not the movie or I am pro-/anti- vigilanteism. It's also a summary of the movie, which I highly recommend if you're into crime movies.

Well, thanks for your comments and ideas. I think I just completely changed the side I'm writing for. I'm not sure if I can do that though.

I'll let ya know.

Thanks again.

[the night watchman]

[the night watchman]

One more thing. I'm not sure I would classify The Boondock Saints as a more realistic movie than either Batman Begins or Spider-Man. The content and stylization of the violence is certainly on par with anything in the former, and the introduction of divine intervention into the storyline is, for me, as fantastical as Peter Parker's spider abilities.
_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

[beltmann]

[xAndyx]

The true question is whether these acts are justified. My heart tells me no. Inside as a christian I know that I have nowhere near the judgement to decide whether a man lives or dies, but the thought of someone else doing it leaves me knowing it is wrong, but not at the point that I'd want to do anything about it. I wouldn't make a social outcry to stop the killing of gangsters, murderers, and and other violent criminals who live their lives to destroy those of others.

I'll give you that the visual style and overal tone of the film do probably promote the idea, but I think it does so to get the viewer to look into the situation who normally would just sit down and let society be run the way it is, when it obviously isn't working.

While some people might say this will prompt violence and even murder, which it may to the already unstable, I argue it simply says that people need to take a stand and not let these acts take place. We don't have to go out and whipe out the mafia, but obviously there is something wrong with our justice system.

I know I am probably way off base here, and you all think I am young and stupid...but meh...it makes for convorsation.
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One day you will look behind you and you will see we three, and on that day, you will repent, and we will send you to whatever god you wish.

-The Boondock Saints

[lorijo87]

Great! Thanks for all of your replies. I will make sure I keep them in mind while writing my paper. And...I'm not seeing how my poll suggests the movie is pro-vigilanteism. But, thanks anyway.

[xAndyx]

yea...we kinda avoided the question at hand there
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One day you will look behind you and you will see we three, and on that day, you will repent, and we will send you to whatever god you wish.

-The Boondock Saints

[Monkeypox]

"My initial reaction is 'no,' but I'm getting a 'yessy' aftertaste."

"Well, a part of me loves it. But then there's this other part of me that hates the first part of me for loving it, because the second part of me... hates it."

"I'm for against it."
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Rattlesnake's Texas Cobra, you sonofabitch!

[Erickson]