Will Smith and Martin Lawrence continue to reign as kings of the buddy cop genre in another action-packed, laugh-out-loud installment of the Bad Boys franchise. Their fourth film together feels like seeing cherished friends who haven’t lost a step after nearly three decades. Bad Boys: Ride or Die slickly incorporates old and new characters into a reversal of fortune for our badass heroes. Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett find themselves on the run with an unlikely companion after being framed. It’s fairly formulaic and with few surprises, but absolutely thrills from the opening frame. The summer box office is about to get a much-needed shot of adrenaline.
Bad Boys for Life directors Adil & Bilall return to Miami with a classic Michael Bay-inspired opening montage of sunny beaches, glistening skyscrapers, and of course, scantily clad women in barely there bikinis. Mike and Marcus race through South Beach in his Porsche. The best friends engage in their trademark bickering while wearing suave tuxedos. They’re late for an extremely important date. Mike has finally decided to settle down with the beautiful Christine (Melanie Liburd) in front of a joyous gathering of family, friends, and dear colleagues.
Marcus can barely get through his best man speech without crying. He can’t believe Miami’s most swinging bachelor is getting married. The party takes an abrupt turn when years of Skittles and hot dogs finally catches up to Marcus. He awakens in the hospital a new man with an ominous vision of the future. Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) has sent him a deadly warning from the afterlife. Trust no one. The Miami police department has rats in the walls.
Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Are Still Effortlessly Funny
3/5
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the action-comedy film series starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The series centers on hard-boiled Miami detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett, who take on dangerous drug kingpins and thwart dangerous schemes as they attempt to stop the circulation of illicit drugs in their city. This time, Miami’s finest are the ones on the run.
Release Date June 7, 2024
Writers Chris Bremner
Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , 2.0 Entertainment , Don Simpson Films , Jerry Bruckheimer Films , Westbrook Studios
Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing
Franchise(s) Bad Boys
Pros
- Lots of humor and incredibly creative action scenes keep Bad Boys fresh. It’s one of the most exciting entries in the franchise.
- Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are great as always, and the supporting cast is strong.
Cons
- The plot is just so predictable and by the numbers.
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Mike and Marcus are stunned to learn Captain Howard is being posthumously investigated for corruption and murder. Millions of cartel dollars have been found in accounts linked to him. The charges are another blow to Howard’s daughter (Rhea Seehorn), a US Marshall itching to put a bullet in Mike’s son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), for murdering her father. But Mike and Marcus realize they need Armando’s help to figure out what’s really happening. A visit to see him in prison confirms their worst fears. A shadowy operative (Eric Dane) was the true mastermind behind Howard’s assassination and has infiltrated every rank of law enforcement.
Smith and Lawrence are again effortless in their comedic banter. Bad Boys: Ride or Die scores easy laughs with Mike trying to make Marcus embrace a healthy lifestyle. He’s not happy when his wife Theresa, now played by Tasha Smith, throws away all the junk food. These scenes are supremely silly and juvenile, but work because they fit what we expect from the characters. Marcus complaining like a toddler over salad shouldn’t be that funny, yet Lawrence nails the whining delivery every time. The back and forth humor is a franchise staple that succeeds purely on their dynamite chemistry. Others would look idiotic with the same dialogue and mannerisms.
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Bad Boys 4 Embraces Subplots and Supporting Characters
The script by Chris Bremner, who also wrote Bad Boys for Life, and Will Beall (Gangster Squad), a former cop, gives the supporting cast enough screen time to take the pressure off Smith and Lawrence. Their spiel gets old if it runs on for too long. Memorable cameos from Tiffany Haddish and DJ Khaled are a welcome diversion.
The writers bring back another character from Bad Boys II that nearly steals the show in an epic action scene. They have a lot of material to work with and wisely spread the narrative wealth. Jacob Scipio is the biggest benefactor of this largesse. Mike and Armando must learn to trust each other as father and son fugitives. Their subplot opens new possibilities for other films in the Bad Boys universe.
Related The 10 Best Will Smith Movies, Ranked
Will Smith is truly a jack-of-all-trades in the entertainment industry; he’s a highly-revered actor, talented rapper, and visionary film producer.
Spectacular Action Scenes in a Predictable Installment
Adil & Bilall (Gangsta, the canned Warner Bros. Batgirl film) raise their action game with spectacular camera angles from different points of view. They use everything from helmet cams, soaring drone footage, and, in a first for this reviewer, a pistol perspective where the weapon is literally tossed from hand to hand. There’s no shortage of creativity while sticking with expected favorites like the Michael Bay wrap-around, 360° spin shot. They understand Bad Boys’ cinematography, but aren’t afraid to think outside the box. Action fans are going to be impressed here.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a fun, popcorn cinema spectacle that ticks every blockbuster box. If only the film had some degree of unpredictability. The filmmakers could have easily added more flavor to the plot stew. They play it safe when all the pieces were there to be bold. The good news is that Smith and Lawrence show no signs of rust. They’re still in top form, which bodes well for a guaranteed fifth chapter.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a production of Columbia Pictures, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Westbrook Studios, and 2.0 Entertainment. It will be released theatrically on June 7th from Sony Pictures.
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