This review was made possible by an advanced screening of Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Bad Boys: Ride or Die releases in theaters on June 5.
Franchises come and franchises go, it’s the circle of life in Hollywood, not everything is meant to be, and they’re put to bed. These days, however, at a moment’s notice, a franchise can be yanked out of bed, rudely awoken, and sent back out into the wolves for another go at it. Bad Boys is one of those franchises. Just before the pandemic, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence hit the streets of Miami for another go at it in Bad Boys For Life, scoring good reviews and over $400m at the box office. Of course, with such success, why not give it another go? See what happens?
Ride and Die
We pick up just before the wedding of the one and only Mike Lowery, en route with Marcus, just before one of the biggest moments of his life. Everything is going according to plan, just until Marcus begins to feel a pain in his chest, falling face first after succumbing to cardiac arrest. After a brief stint in the hospital, Marcus is given a new lease on life and is quickly put to the test when the beloved, and late, Captain Conrad Howard is framed in a massive corruption scandal. Together, with the help of an unlikely ally, Mike and Marcus spring into action, beyond the law, in order to clear the captain’s name.
The best part of this film is the dynamic between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The two of them are an absolutely electric duo whose interactions and antics never tire. The movie really doubles down on how much the pair care for each other, with Mike being increasingly hard on Marcus following his heart attack, keeping him in line like a good work husband should. It also helps that both of them are hilarious in their own unique way, each delivering their own special comedic beats.
This movie really tackles how the careers of both Mike and Marcus have affected their lives, with Marcus having a head attack and Mike beginning to develop intense anxiety, suffering through panic attacks. Both of these instances help bring the core duo closer together. Of course, they are getting older, but they aren’t letting these things slow them down, further proving their determination in their pursuit of justice, especially when it concerns the legacy of their captain.
Another Dynamic Duo
When news breaks that a franchise is being brought back to life, almost instantly, the conversations start about just how they’re going to do it this time, and who is going to return from the previous instalments. For this little franchise, many wondered if original director Michael Bay would return, and while technically he does return to the movies, it’s not in the director’s chair. Instead, directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah made their Hollywood debut with Bad Boys For Life quickly earning them their next jobs on projects like Ms. Marvel and Batgirl (Yeah, still a sore subject).
Here, Adil and Bilall (as they are formally billed) continue to prove their immense talent with their incredibly energetic and dynamic directing style. They are quickly making a name for themselves in the industry and it’s easy to see why. Their style is so fun and unique, the way they shoot action sequences is absolutely invigorating.
The duo has been rumoured to be taking on the reigns of the Spider-Man franchise from previous director Jon Watts, and I say let them. They prove in this film that they have what it takes to handle a franchise and breathe new life into it. Dare I call them innovative? Some absolute next-level camerawork here.
The Crime This Time
The plot here isn’t incredibly difficult to follow, a rather simple story that’s held up by its impeccable action and its powerful pair. As it was stated above, the late captain has been framed and the bad boys are stuck at square one, trying to figure out just who is behind it. Enter Eric Dane, best known for his work on Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, the mystery man who is pulling the strings behind it all, making it incredibly personal for Mike and Marcus. He proves to be quite a threat to them, as he has eyes everywhere, even where they least expect it, testing loyalties like never before.
Much of the supporting cast does, unfortunately, have little to work with as much of the focus is, of course, on the titular Bad Boys, with many of the others merely just here to lend a helping hand. Instead, much of the only real side plot in the film focuses on Mike and his relationship with his son, Armando. The two of course are not on the best of terms but Mike is doing his best to make it work and show Armando that he does care about him, he just didn’t know he existed.
There are a few moments when the film pulls the spotlight off of the duo and allows for some of the smaller characters to shine for just a bit, but never for a ton of time away from Mike or Marcus.
Luckily, the action set pieces in this film do most of the heavy lifting as the plot itself is pretty thin. It isn’t bad, there is unfortunately not a lot to go on about. The film prioritizes its entertainment value, and in some cases, that can result in a mess that falls flat, but I wouldn’t categorize this near a mess at all; it succeeds in its pursuit to be entertaining.
‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ – Final Thoughts
Bad Boys: Ride or Die will surely win audiences over with its humour, action, and leads. While its plot is rather flimsy and it leaves much of its supporting cast in the dust, the film succeeds in being an entertaining feast of action. Adil and Bilall continue to prove themselves as quite the hot talent in the directing game with a unique and invigorating style that doesn’t allow for dull moments even once.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die releases in theaters on June 5. Check out the trailer below.
The Review
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' will surely win audiences over with its humour, action, and leads. While its plot is rather flimsy and it leaves much of its supporting cast in the dust, the film succeeds in being an entertaining feast of action. Adil and Bilall continue to prove themselves as quite the hot talent in the directing game with a unique and invigorating style that doesn't allow for dull moments even once.
