The first Bad Boys was released in April of 1995 and took two
TV sitcom stars and turned them into movie stars. This was the beginning of the
‘Will Smith owns Summer blockbusters’ run that then included Independence Day
and Men in Black. The movie was directed
by Michael Bay and followed two super-cool Miami cops, Mike Lowrey
(Laaaahhhwwwwreeee) and Marcus Burnett, as they too down a big-time drug lord.
This sequel (I hated the second one so I’m skipping over
that), picks up 25 years later (holy crap – its been 25 years). Marcus is
getting even more serious about retiring and Mike is trying to convince himself and
everyone else that he’s still in his twenties. Marcus wants to spend more time with
his first grandson. During a footrace for Marcus’s retirement (as silly as this
is, it felt very much like something these two would do) Mike is shot by an assassin
who is also taking out several other prominent Miami lawmen and peacekeepers.
Once Mike recovers, he gets a bit bullheaded (okay, stupidly stubborn) about investigating his own shooting despite Marcus having stepped away. Mike ‘assists’
the new AMMO team that is researching the crime. AMMO is run by his ex and features a group of
high-tech young guns who each get just enough character development to make you realize they are individuals, but not enough that you remember their names. Eventually, Marcus
comes back in to help Mike one last time as they track down the criminal behind
the killing spree.
The movie is not directed by Michael Bay this time around –
but no worries! He does show up as a wedding emcee. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah step in to
direct and maintain most of Bay’s trademarks which fit this local and style
perfectly - slow-mo spins! sweat! dance clubs! The action is fun and the
stars haven’t lost any of their chemistry.
Will and Martin are great, still funny, and still capable of
being action-packed when necessary. The scene where Marcus gets teary-eyed
while holding his first grandbaby was funny and touching. Will manages to be unlikeable as
Mike struggles to deal with some issues from his past while refusing to take
assistance from those offering it. Eventually
he turns it around, and as crazy as it sounds – I am ready for Bad Boys 4.
What I really liked was the new team of AMMO (Advanced Miami
Metro Operations). Led by Paola Nunez’s character Rita and featuring Vanessa
Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Charles Melton as the cocky young agents, the
team is entertaining and fits in perfectly.
Actually – I was really surprised by Vanessa Hudgens, maybe I want to see her in more action movies?
Joe Pantoliano and Theresa Randle are both
back as the captain and Marcus’s wife. The same guy who showed up to date Marcus’s
daughter in Bad Boys 2 returns to be her husband in this one.
Kate del Castillo and Jacob Scipio play the heavies, a cartel
drug lord and her son. Del Castillo was particularly menacing. I love a legitimate female villain and she
was pretty epic.
Overall, the movie was super fun with just the right amount
of nostalgia factored in with new and updated action.
7 out of 10 – Certainly better than I was expecting based on
Bad Boys 2, but not quite as good as Bad Boys original flavor.
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