BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE – “The signature sun-kissed action/comedy still works”
RATING
DIRECTOR
Directed by: Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys For Life – 2020)
MAIN CAST
• Will Smith as Mike Lowrey
• Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett
• Vanessa Hudgens as Kelly
• Alexander Ludwig as Dorn
• Paola Núñez as Captain Rita Secada
• Eric Dane as the Banker
• Jacob Scipio as Armando Aretas
• Melanie Liburd as Christine
• Tasha Smith as Theresa Burnett
• Joe Pantoliano as Captain Conrad Howard
SYNOPSIS
It is the sequel to Bad Boys for Life (2020) and the fourth instalment in the Bad Boys franchise
Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett investigate corruption within the Miami PD when their late Captain Conrad Howard is posthumously accused of being involved with the Romanian Mafia, but a setup turns them into fugitives, forcing them to work outside the law in order to solve the case.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Good news Bad Boys fans, all the signature sun-kissed action/comedy still works in this uproarious 4th instalment for the franchise. Yessir, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence can still get it done – proving their onscreen chemistry is very much intact. And while Lawrence, much like his character Marcus, has embraced his older, slower, snack-loving self, Will Smith hasn’t lost a step as the gun-toting action star we know him to be. Has the “Oscar slap” incident diminished his likability? This critic says no – at least not on the screen. Heck, Will even takes some good-natured slaps of his own in the movie. And while the rest of the cast play their parts perfectly fine (especially the returning Jacob Scipio as Mike’s son), this is the Will and Martin show. But hey, it’s always been that way. As for the action elements, you can expect some fun set pieces for sure. The shoot ‘em up finale is admittedly very well done, with exquisite camera techniques being used to whip around the room and pull us in and out of the POV of the shooter. Our directors also seem to love them some “drone shots,” as the film is quite literally littered with them. And while some of the transitions can get a bit kitschy, the overall look of the movie is as smooth as butter. If only the plot was as polished, though. Like the last outing, things veer into absurd (and frankly, predictable) territory more times than not. And I get that they are going for mass appeal, but does it have to be soooo dumbed down? Luckily, the humour is on point, giving us some genuine laugh out loud moments. It all comes down to Will and Martin as Mike and Marcus. We know these characters. We like these characters. And as long as they keep making things fun, we’ll keep watching these characters. Bad Boys for life? That might not be such a bad thing.
BOX OFFICE TOP 5
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Piece by Piece
$3.8 million