Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

​“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Jacob Scipio, Melanie Liburd, Tasha Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Joe Pantoliano.  Released on June 7, 2024, the film has Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett going on the run when they’re falsely accused of a crime.

The film was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who also directed “Black”, “Gangsta”, “Bad Boys for Life”, and “Rebel”.  It is the fourth installment in the "Bad Boys" franchise.  May had plenty of high points to start this year’s summer movie season, but it’s also not without a few lows that made me wish I spent more time outside instead.  In the end, though, they didn’t hide the fact the first month of the summer isn’t what it used to be compared to previous years.  Multiple factors include the movies' bloated budgets, high ticket prices, and people conditioned to wait until the movies are released on digital weeks after their theatrical window.  Not to mention, we don’t have a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie releasing until July.  So, it’s unsurprising that we hope June could help the summer movie season bounce back from its disastrous start, considering that it’s filled with potential massive hits that could earn the struggling studios some big bucks.  The first of many that could break Hollywood’s losing streak is the return of Miami’s finest and baddest cops around.  

“Bad Boys for Life” reinvigorated the franchise that made Michael Bay a household name in summer blockbuster territory shortly before the pandemic closed us off from the outside world.  The explosion master himself didn’t return to helm that installment with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, but it got a refreshing coat of paint from the Belgian filmmaking duo Adil and Bilall, who elevated the main leads’ chemistry and action scenes through their directorial style.  That film’s success convinced Hollywood that audiences wanted more of Mike and Marcus’s police adventures.  That was before a specific incident involving Will Smith at the Oscars tarnished his reputation.  I’m going to assume you know what I meant since it’s been brought up so many times now.  So, besides giving the summer season a much-needed boost, this latest sequel is also seen as a test to see whether Smith can still draw in an audience after that infamous event.  Does it serve as another entertaining continuation in the action-comedy franchise, or is it time for these cops to retire from the force?  Let’s find out.  

The story centers on Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), two detective lieutenants of the Miami Police unit whose snappy attitudes are as deadly as their skills.  However, their reputations are jeopardized once more when they discover a shocking secret from their late captain, Conrad Howard (Pantoliano), putting the entire department in turmoil.  Howard is posthumously accused of being involved with the Romanian Mafia, led by former DEA officer James McGrath (Dane).  As they attempt to clear Howard’s name while transporting Mike’s son, Armando Aretas (Scipio), as a witness, Mike and Marcus run into a setup that puts them on Miami’s Most Wanted list.  In hiding from the authorities they work for, Mike and Marcus must work outside the law to foil James’ scheme and clear their names. 

“Bad Boys for Life” was responsible for reinvigorating my interest in the iconic buddy-cop franchise manifested by Michael Bay.  Under the direction of Adil and Bilall, the long-awaited threequel surprised the heck out of me when it first came out.  It maintained the energy and amusement of the main leads’ chemistry and the high-octane action sequences that made the previous installments enjoyable yet mindless blockbusters.  Yes, that includes the poorly-received “Bad Boys II”, whose stereotypical characters and constant explosions made Michael Bay a hate target to his detractors.  However, it was also the depth of the likable characters and stakes that made “Bad Boys for Life” the best installment in the franchise from my perspective.  

So, it was unsurprising that “Ride or Die” was challenged to live up to those expectations because, as far as sequels go, they tend to go big on the set pieces at the expense of their narrative quality.  That similar mistake was why “Bad Boys II” didn’t hit with critics back in 2003 despite its entertaining moments.  Fortunately, “Ride or Die” didn’t come close to being mindlessly exhausting regarding the refreshing atmosphere brought to life by Adil and Bilall.  While it may not be on par with its predecessor, the film shows that these "boys" are just as bad as ever, but in a fun and periodically absurd way.

Like “Bad Boys for Life”, “Ride or Die” kept specific elements from its predecessors, such as the charismatic comedy and action set pieces, but also provided depth into the main characters.  The film’s story served as a continuation of “Bad Boys for Life”, which sees Mike and Marcus dealing with more of their personal issues amid its tried-and-true fugitive-on-the-run storyline.  Mike continues to be haunted by his past actions that got those around him hurt, while Armando is put in a position where he must redeem himself for his own.  As for Marcus, well, he has a near-death experience due to his diabetes, causing him to be fearless of death, but it was only played for comedic effect.  After watching every film in the franchise recently, it’s easy to say that all of the “Bad Boys” movies are fun for different reasons.  However, I would also say that the recent installments by Adil and Bilall are the best when they’re not just focusing on Mike and Marcus arguing their butts off with their backtalks.  The recent installments gave us a reason to care for the cops and their personalities, elevating the tension of the action and their dynamic.

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” offers plenty of reasons to root for the framed detectives, not just their banters.  Unfortunately, regarding the execution, the melodrama moments didn’t quite reach those heights similar to those in “Bad Boys for Life”.  The script exhibited many qualities that we've seen in other action movies involving buddy cops and falsely accused fugitives. However, it's the hit-and-miss handling of its stakes and drama that made 'Ride or Die' a slight step backward from the previous installment.  Add in a predictable twist involving one of the supporting characters and a formidable yet average villain, and you get a continuation that’s as exciting as an uneventful stakeout.  But I’m pretty sure you’re not going into this film expecting quality writing.  You just want to watch Smith and Lawrence kick some bad guy butt in gloriously dumb ways, similar to a “Fast & Furious” film.  Unsurprisingly, “Ride or Die” gave us exactly that, which is enough to forgive most of its familiar trappings.

“Ride or Die” continued proving that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are still the best cinematic duo of the buddy cop genre regarding their superb chemistry and performances.  Even though some of their charisma and humor might have waned a bit, Smith and Lawrence still found ways to maintain their fun and amusing dynamic throughout the film’s runtime.  I also enjoyed seeing Martin Lawrence on screen again following his hiatus in the early 2010s.  That man was one of the pieces of my childhood.  Vanessa Hudgens and Alexander Ludwig also delivered some enjoyable moments as Kelly and Dorn, respectively.  Eric Dane was suitable as James McGrath, the film’s antagonist who didn’t live up to the expectations of Isabel Aretas from “Bad Boys for Life”.  However, the only supporting character that stole the show was Dennis Greene as Reggie, Marcus’ son-in-law.  He’s been in the franchise since the second installment, and the one particular action scene involving him made me glad that he finally got his moment to shine.  Also, Michael Bay, the director of the first two films, made yet another cameo appearance in the movie, which is all you need to know.

The story may not surpass or rejuvenate its formulaic traits, but the film offered plenty of entertaining moments in its presentation to make its script less of a chore to sit through.  Adil and Bilal are more examples of directors with a refreshing perspective on action filmmaking. They provide slickness and wide-angle shots to give the action scenes an immersive dynamic that makes audiences feel like they’re part of the experience.  Adil and Bilall had done wonders in retaining the explosive action from Michael Bay’s installments in “Bad Boys for Life” while also maintaining their own vision.  For “Ride or Die”, the duo went all in with the action cinematography, adding in the drone shots and the first-person camerawork from the third act seen in the recent behind-the-scenes clip, which was quite impressive.  The result is another polished and stylistic depiction of action movie finesse that establishes Adil and Bilall’s future in the genre.  However, it also makes me feel worse that their canceled “Batgirl” movie will never see the light of day.  Curse you, David Zaslav!

Overall, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” delivers another round of high-octane, action-comedy fun despite being refrained from going above the traditional blockbuster narrative law.  Regarding its formulaic script and melodrama, the latest installment in the franchise’s comeback doesn’t entirely shoot down all its targets.  However, it’s another sequel that retains the energetic essence of a franchise’s core pieces without succumbing to Hollywood’s “quantity over quality” rule.  Will Smith and Martin Lawrence continue to bring the “bad boy” magic with their diverting chemistry.  Additionally, Adil and Bilall maintain the freshness of the franchise in their approach toward the characters and action set pieces, with the latter being admittedly ridiculous at times but not painfully idiotic.  It’s pretty amazing that “Bad Boys”, an understandably flawed action franchise, ended up getting the same treatment as “Fast & Furious” when “Fast Five” reinvigorated the series in 2011.  Usually, “Bad Boys for Life” would’ve been a one-and-done deal, but seeing that that film and “Ride or Die” got me back into the franchise with their refreshing sense of direction makes me glad I continue to stick around with these bad boys.  It also proves that not all franchise revivals are unnecessary if there's enough effort to prove their existence.

B-