No one walking into a theater to watch the fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise is expecting a cinematic masterpiece or some art house thinker. Some people will buy tickets for “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” for the same reason fast food exists. It’s easy, and you know exactly what you’re getting without having to think too much.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty to enjoy. The movie is fun. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence fall into a lockstep routine audiences have enjoyed since 1995, but it’s not certain this latest iteration will resonate with fans, or anyone else for that matter. It’s no secret this year has been rough for movies. It’d be no stretch of the imagination to say poor ticket sales are a byproduct of tight home budgets and the fact Hollywood hasn’t given movie-goers a lot to be inspired by. Last summer, we got “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” and while “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” are great, they are not of the same caliber. Neither is “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”
Synopsis
The film drops the audience in an all too familiar scene with Mike driving the sports car of the week like a maniac and Marcus holding on for dear life in the passenger seat. Right away the tone is set and everyone is well aware of these two cops’ style and relationship.
A few lines are mixed into the opening scene with Mike overly concerned about not being late and about Marcus eating habits. No one is kept waiting long as Mike gets hitched. Cue the over the top celebrations, lavish fireworks, and lots of dancing … and dying. As guests are grooving on the dance floor, Marcus, the over 50-year-old junk food addict, clutches his chest like Redd Foxx and goes down.
What ensues over the next several minutes is a cavalcade of dramatic death metaphors, flashbacks of Bad Boys franchise highlights and dead captain Howard, played by Joe Pantoliano. From beyond the grave, Howard tell’s Marcus it’s not his time to die. Marcus awakes in the hospital a man born anew with the belief he cannot die. With new found spiritualism, Marcus now becomes the reckless partner, while Mike becomes the fearful anxiety driven adult in the room. An adult who suddenly freezes mid-action sequence at the thought of losing his new bride.
All is not sunshine and rainbows with Marcus out of the hospital. The detectives soon find themselves embroiled in a frame job … cover up … drug running scheme … assassination plot … look it’s a convoluted series of events that would need a flowchart to explain properly. Needless to say they find themselves on the run wanted by the FBI, Miami PD, US Marshals, and nearly all the criminals residing within Miami-Dade County. Their predicament seemingly brings the whole gang back from the previous films and rehashes much of the plot from “Bad Boys For Life.”
Unable to capture Mike and Marcus, the bad guys make it personal and go after their families, only succeed in kidnapping Mike’s wife (and source of his new anxiety attacks) and granddaughter of deceased captain Howard. With a little help from trusted friends, the duo dives headlong into video-game-esque mayhem, where all the “good” guys live and all the bad guys die spectacularly. I emphasize good here, as that may be a bit questionable, seeing as Mike’s fugitive, estranged and convicted murderer of a son plays a pivotal role in saving the day.
Aging poorly
Smith and Lawrence are not immune to time, although Smith is doing his best to avoid it. At 55, he is fit and lean. He doesn’t have the same braggadocio and swagger of years past, and instead they’ve been replaced by maturity and adult anxiety. He plays the part well and is the best actor in the movie, but he is overshadowed by Lawrence’s performance and not for the better. To be clear, Lawrence isn’t terrible. He has hilarious moments, however this kind of action-fueled buddy cop movie isn’t right for him anymore. At 59, he is well past his action phase and it shows.
It was impossible not to notice how labored Lawrence was when delivering lines. His comedic timing and quick responsive banter are not there. He seemed slowed, medicated and no amount of editing was going to hide it. This role demands more back and forth than he is capable of. He did land jokes, but not enough. Then there’s the action. This film is chock full of high energy action sequences, but Lawrence can’t sell it. Admittedly, there is enough humor in these scenes to let it slide in most cases.
The aging cop trope has been done well in the past. “Lethal Weapon,” “Die Hard With a Vengeance,” “Bloodwork,” and “Seven” are all great examples. Each of these has commonalities, like serious health issues, dealing with physical limitations, and brash partners. The wise, sometimes haggard older cop bemoans the exertion, but doggedly pursues the target. The scripts have quick witted quips and thoughtful banter. It’d be an honest mistake to lump this film in with rest. The plain truth is Bad Boys has all this, but it’s all lip service.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah could have looked at Smith and Lawrence and leaned into their age and it would have worked, but in the end, they choose to give a quick nod to father time and proceeded to make a movie better suited to the actors’ mid ‘90s glory days. After watching the movie, it makes sense. It is a ‘90s movie made in the 2020s. A homage to bygone films, where cops shoot first, ask very few questions, and save the day with little to no consequences. “The Other Guys” did it better, and Bad Boys aimed for the bushes.
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” should have been a streaming-first movie. It is perfect for watching while drinking a light beer, and chowing down on a freshly grilled hotdog with friends or maybe even just your dog. You don’t have to be invested. You don’t have to think. If you can get down with a good dad joke, this 4/10 film is for you.
