For a movie that wasn’t needed nor requested, it turned out to be pretty good. Fans of the Bad Boys franchise are going to love this film. Some films need to be seen in theaters as it makes for a unique experience. If you haven’t seen the other films that lead up to this one, at some point, you’re going to feel lost. There are copious references to the last film, Bad Boys for Life, that you won’t understand if Ride or Die is your introduction to the franchise. With that being said, the film is still enjoyable even without knowledge of past films.
Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back in the latest installment in the Bad Boys collection of films. The fourth installment sees the guys on the run and undercover as they’ve been privy to information that could shake the entire Miami police department. Their old boss, Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is being framed as a thief and a liar to cover the tracks of the actual dirty cops in their department. The closer they get to solving the case, the more danger that finds them.
As mentioned before, this is a film that was made for the theater and that was made clear within the first 15 minutes. What we saw wasn’t a closed press screening, but one open to a limited group of the public. The crowd’s reactions were quite enthusiastic and suggested that most fans would embrace the film. For what it’s worth, there are loads of funny moments in the movie. With that said, I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s a funny movie.
The best comedy came from side characters or Will Smith. Lawrence tries far too often to overextend himself, making long bold reaches for laughs that usually fall short. Again, he had many funny moments, but it felt like he was reaching too much to be a seasoned comedian. Some parts were slow and somewhat campy, but overall, it works. One thing I can applaud is their great use of time. The film sits at a perfect 1 hour and 55 minutes, which is just enough time for this type of film — not too serious, just action and a few laughs.
The cameos made in the film were pretty funny. I won’t spoil who appears and where, but their presence as well as their dialogue will have even the most serious person reacting with laughter.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die gets a 7.5 out of 10. The film is a gentle reminder that even in a not-so-serious role, Will Smith is an amazing actor. Overall, it has everything you’d expect out of a “bad guys” movie set in Miami. As far as kids are concerned, this thing is loaded with vulgarity and has suggestive themes (plus a scene at a strip club). I have a feeling this will be one of those movies that are treated harshly by critics but beloved by moviegoers.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die will be in theaters this Friday, June 7.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Frank Masi