Bad Boys: Ride or Die

I'd completely forgotten about "Bad Boys for Life" (2020) but luckily there are were few flashbacks to remind me that "Mike" (Will Smith) had been the target of a son he didn't know about - "Armando" (Jacob Scipio) - and that both he and partner "Marcus" (Martin Lawrence) risked life and limb to get him behind bars. Well now, a few years later, "Mike" has just got married; "Marcus" has had a revelatory out-of-body experience and their beloved "Capt. Howard" (Joe Pantoliano) has been killed. The authorities become increasingly convinced that he was on the take from the drugs cartels. $20m in your bank account can arouse some suspicions - though the Porsche and beautiful waterside home of "Mike" might have too! Anyway, our duo are having none...

For a fourth outing, 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' still finds a way to produce the goods.

I enjoyed what I watched. The previous installment remains the clear standout of the series comparatively speaking, though I was pleased to see this one still deliver the nessacary entertainment; it's perhaps my second favourite from the franchise. It does have flaws of course, like I'd say it's more serious than humourous and the more sincere stuff doesn't always hit as intended; especially the bits about Howard.

Still, there's enough positive humour in there. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence continue to please in the lead roles, they are a great match. The rest of the cast are all decent enough, Ioan Gruffudd plays what feels like a typical Ioan Gruff...

I didnt know what to expect going into the fourth installment of one of my favorite buddy cop franchises. Having seen the first movie in theaters at age 13, I grew up with this series and had my doubts about its ability to evolve. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.

This film was a joy to watch, even though it was missing Theresa Randle, whose absence was felt. Despite this, the filmmakers managed to capture the heart and spirit that fans have come to love. The narrative remains engaging, and seeing these characters return was a real treat.

The film experimented a lot with camera techniques and visual effects. While some of these choices didnt resonate with me, they reflect a bold attempt to refresh the series. For instance, ther...

We liked Bad Boys because it was Lethal Weapon in Miami, and we like Lethal Weapon because it was just like the other 356 buddy cop movies we saw before it. It's a timeless LCD flick that you're going to go and see because you know it delivers....

... the thing is, it didn't. This one took itself a bit too seriously. It had to, the actors are a bit too old to be on the money like with were in the first two...

... well Martin is, Will I think can still pull off the action bit. He's clearly still in good shape.

But a lot of the comedy is absent, a lot of the bickering is gone, and we like buddy cop movies because we like the humor and we like seeing two hard men bickering like an old married couple...

... because men who have ...

Not awful but hardly remarkable either, Bad Boys, Ride or Die is a passable shake and bake, crime action flick.

The downsides, in short order, include a rapper gangsta vibe, that's overcooked to the point of cultural cremation. Its no helped by humour, that's, for most of this film, rarely even remotely funny.

The upside is what you would expect, polished and unrelentingly, over the top action, which, taken on its own, is entertaining. Backed by a serviceable, if basic, story.

In summary, if you can look past the gangster, rapper bombast, Bad Boys, Ride or Die, is an enjoyable, synapse neutral, action flick, for a slow day or evening.Worth a look.

I had an absolute blast watching Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the popular buddy comedy / action franchise that started off with a bang way back in 1995. Co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, back at the helm after 2020s Bad Boys for Life, pay homage to the Bad Boys legacy while injecting new life into it. As a longtime fan, this film actually over delivers. It is everything I wanted and more. I feel like the word-of-mouth on this movie is going to be electric and if audiences decide to show up, it very well could be the movie that saves the summer box office.

When their former Captain and friend Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is implicated in a corruption scandal involving a dangerous cartel, Miami police offic...

Good job, Bad Boys. You're gonna make a satisfying film when I come for you.

I kind of ignored the first hour and a half but definitely the first hour. It might be for the best but Lawrence is good. Will is good. But they're also bad.

I like the spiritual overtones and comedy. Satisfying buddy comedy. The drones are sweet. I liked the AI camera effects. The psycho killer younger guys are good. Insane violence at the end. Seemed so PG until you hit the violence and there is so much celebration of violence. Maybe I missed some previous violence but it seemed quite intense and sudden.

I hope they make a sequel with the psychos. Grandpas can Denzel some guys. Hopefully they'll match their speech with the rest of the graphic content. A...