Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Weirdly, now with the 4th iteration of the Bad Boys franchise, it reminds me of fellow action series, Mission: Impossible. Why, you ask? Because the quality has stayed consistently the same. 

Now...we're talking different levels of quality to be sure. Mission: Impossible is in a different (read: higher) tier than Bad Boys. But both have become dependable at delivering what you'd expect.

Much like the somewhat-surprise hit of Bad Boys For Life (with a missed opportunity to call it Bad Boys For Lif3),  Bad Boys: Ride or Die (with a missed opportunity to call it Bad Boys 4 Life...c'mon marketing team!) is a harmless, fun, if not a bit forgettable blast at the movies. 

These films got their start from being good actioners (some of Michael Bay's better early work) and having the quippy, yet endearing relationship between Lawrence and then-superstar Smith. Bad Boys: Ride or Die leans into that relationship a lot, to the benefit of the film and the audience. Smith and Lawrence's relationship is one of the core components as they age and are thrust into a conspiracy. They still have an innate talent to riff off one another in very funny ways, with Lawrence in particular getting some funny, laugh out loud, moments that are well earned. Much like the third film, it won't be the funniest movie of the year, but the jokes and quips are also organic and feel like natural conversation, which helps the overall entertainment value. 

Our story here is fine/good. It harkens back to previous dealings in the series, so in that regard, it's a true sequel as Mike and Marcus try to clear their deceased police chief's name in a posthumous conspiracy threatens his legacy. The bad guys feel decidedly bad, lines are "blurred", and it's all rather fun, if not being the more forgettable element of the film. Again, par for the course on these where we care more about the characters and the fun we'll have as opposed to the story itself. 

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are back in the director chairs after helming the previous iteration and should remain there if there's a 5th film. They have a talent to mimic the best parts of Bay's style, while leaving out most of the awful elements (aka over-editing). Their flare has become one of the things I [will] look forward to the most and they elevate it with Ride or Die. There are several action sequences that could have been basic AF, but instead feel unique and somewhat fresh. They clearly like to experiment, have fun, introduce lots of color into the screen and honestly...it pretty much always works. There are a couple action sequences that feel comparatively uninspired and some weak CGI, but overall they've crafted a solid action foundation in their last 2 films.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is of similar quality to its predecessor, if not a tad better because there's a distinct confidence and willingness to play in the director chairs. It guarantees that, should there be a 5th film, my butt would likely be in a seat for another fun and entertaining ride, just like I'd be expecting.

Rath's Review Score | 7/10