The Ministers [Blu-ray]

Overall a Disappointment. Worth a dollar at RedBox.....maybe
Considering the two major stars and intriguing plot synopsis, I expected a lot more from this movie than it delivered. It had a low budget feel and many technical errors in plot and editing that were confusing and amateurish. John Leguizamo did a good job with the dual part of twins, one disfigured by fire, both on a quest for revenge against slumlords and crooked cops, but they hardly represent a "secret shrouded religious order" as promised in the plot synopsis. Instead, they are merely two bickering brothers living in a crummy apartment, occasionally "shrouding" their faces with ridiculous fright wigs. Harvey Keitel does a fair job with what he is given, but he isn't given much. This is miles away from his performance in "The Bad Lieutenant", and not all of the blame lies with Harvey. Indeed, the character he portrays and his overall performance are entirely forgettable.

Why is the "dirty cop" part necessary? It has no bearing on the story. Why is everyone always angry,...

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.
This little indie is the second movie John Leguizamo produced and stared in for Franc Reyes, the other being Empire, Reyes first film.
When I first saw the movie poster...I though...meh...they are trying to capitalize on the Boondock Saints 2 that hit theaters around the same time, but because I love Johnny Legz and Harvey Keitel...I figured I would give this a shot. While there are slight similarities between the two films THE MINISTERS is no Boondock Saints..and that is a good thing. It is original, and visceral in it's own right. The story is a large one that spans decades but is crammed into a one hour and twentyfive minute film, because of this it seems like the writing is rushed...or perhaps it is the editing which makes the film feel a bit rushed... I guess Reyes does not have the clout to pull of a 3 hour flick yet in his career...this film could have been allot better with more time spent on character development and story arch. That being said I do not think this...

Modern Day Robin Hood
From the box @ the rental store, I'd assume that this was about intrigue within the church. However, the story is quite different. John Leguizamo turns in a solid performance as two twin brothers, Dante and Perfecto Mendoza. Orphaned due to a landlord's placing assets over people, they embark on a vigilante mission against wrong-doing fat cats. There's a bit of a modern-day Robin Hood feel, albeit the brothers execute rather than rob. Celeste Santana plays a cop whose policeman father was gunned down. She falls in love with the brother who was not disfigured by fire. The story unravels bit by bit as the hidden relationships and conflicts bubble to the surface. Harvey Keitel plays the partner Joe Bruno. Wanda DeJesus gives a nice performance as Captain Diaz. While not a classic, this is a strong character-driven crime drama. Enjoy!

Click to Editorial Reviews