Twenty-nine years after Michael Bay’s first Bad Boys debuted in theaters, the fourth installment of this beloved movie franchise is unbelievably playing in theaters. This film saga has a strong following. Otherwise, why would movie producers continue to keep pumping out further installments? So far, I have enjoyed every single movie with varying degrees of enjoyment.
Despite the ages of Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, the Bad Boys are back, and they hope they can keep their fans entertained and intrigued. Regarding entertainment, I found myself very amused with the further adventures of Miami detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey. There will always be something magical about the chemistry and comic timing of both Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. And they are the essential components that keep this otherwise lesser sequel afloat.
During the wedding of Lowery (Smith) to his latest paramour, Christine (Melanie Liburd), Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) has what seems to be a heart attack. After recovering from his illness, the two devoted crime fighters discover that an unknown villain has framed their deceased Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) as a dirty cop who has ties to the cartel. Desperate to clear his name and their reputations as honorable detectives, Lowrey and Burnett decide to take matters into their own hands and investigate the truth behind these disturbing allegations.
Written by Chris Bremner and Will Beall and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is fun. Though the stakes are not as compelling as in other installments, it is a blast to have these beloved protagonists back on the screen and doing what they do best. I do have to hand it to the directors because, unlike their last foray into this world, they utilize some exciting and modern filmmaking techniques to create and capture some explosive and thrilling action for the screen.
While the last movie, Bad Boys For Life, had a more compelling story, it lacked the visual feast for which Michael Bay is known. The filmmakers took this oversight to heart and decided to take bigger swings to make the action sequences more riveting. The cinematography, editing, and effects are primarily outstanding here, and this movie feels more akin to the first two movies regarding shootouts and explosions.
Overall, the cast is satisfied, and it should go without saying that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence know their characters too well. Despite this movie’s shortcomings, I still highly recommend this installment for theatrical viewing. However, I would only pay part of the price for it. This is the type of movie tailor-made for the summer, and this is where the Bad Boys live, thrive and entertain.