Bad Boys: Ride or Die – A Winning Summer Blockbuster

Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the Bad Boys franchise, takes place a few years after the last installment as their late former Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is framed and gets linked to drug cartels, wisecracking Miami cops Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) set out to clear his name only to end up on the run themselves. As a whole, Ride or Die delivers some of the most fun one will have at the movies all year and is easily the second best in the series next to 2003’s Bad Boys II. The film simply has everything one would possibly want from a summer blockbuster and is absolutely something one wants to see with a large crowd who are fully into it.

Ride or Die has all of the big laughs, adrenaline pumping action sequences, and surprising heart anyone could ask for. While not all of its jokes land, with others getting a tad repetitive, it might be the funniest installment yet and a lot of that is due to Martin Lawrence, who has never been better, more let loose, or funnier as Marcus. All the Bad Boys films have had a good sense of heart and some earned emotion, but those elements truly work here and for the most part, feels like it captures everything that audiences go to this series for. Directors Adil and Bilall have completely upped their games as filmmakers as well and all of the chaotic action sequences are beyond entertaining to watch. Filled with drone shots, electrifying camerawork that throws audiences right into the action alongside these characters, and explosions, each car chase, shootout, and hand to hand fight scenes up the stakes and are more entertaining and explosive than the last. Essentially, it is the closest a film can get to feeling like it was directed by Michael Bay, without actually being directed by him and that’s entirely complimentary.

Smith and Lawrence slip right back into their roles of Mike and Marcus seamlessly and their dynamic has never been stronger. This time around, Mike and Marcus are taken in new directions and the near swap of their dynamic surprisingly works. Meanwhile, Eric Dane plays a virtually thin and very onenote villain but Dane portrays McGrath well enough, making him into a decently intimidating villain though one that could have imposed a bit more of a physical threat. Also, it is great seeing Alexander Ludwig and Vanessa Hudgens return even if they aren’t given a ton to do, and Dennis Greene as a surprising scene stealer. Better Call Saul fans will be very happy to see Rhea Seehorn on the big screen but unfortunately, she is a bit miscast as Judy and is given some very weak material to work with.

All that being said, Ride or Die might be the weakest and messiest of the series so far. While the story is completely serviceable, it appears made up as it went along, and several of its reveals are predictable from the get-go. The writing isn’t always the most consistent either especially at the start when it introduces what would be considered life threatening issues for the characters only to completely abandon them, never to be heard from again. As is the case with any film, sure, audiences could pick this one apart but for those who just want to see a fun summer blockbuster on the big screen, then they can’t do much better than Bad Boys: Ride or Die. It is the perfect type of popcorn entertainment that anyone should see with their largest group of friends and just have a great time.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/