Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Bad-Boys-Ride-or-Die-(2024)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Bad Boys fans are a very passionate group Kelly portrays the third film in the franchise. For me, the first two are not even that good though there is chemistry between the main actors as well as certain good action scenes in the film. Bad Boys For Life, the third entry in the series quite amazed me though, so I was ready for the next part, which could have truly been called the third part and could instead be Bad Boys Ride or Die. Is that why this fourth installment brings me the same amount of pleasure that the previous one did? Let’s get clearer!

In Bad Boys For Life, Mike Lowrey is about to marry his physical therapist after the third film, and the movie is set some years later. It is a good outcome for Mike who has always been an emotionally void and playboy hotshot character in the entire series Mike has always been the hardest person to impress. Unfortunately at the wedding, his partner, Marcus Burnett played by Martin Lawrence suffers from a heart attack. These two occurrences cause the most drastic modification within the franchise.

After the near-fatal incident, Marcus gains a different outlook on life and becomes less inhibited and more extroverted while Mike is the one who panics during shootouts because he fears losing something now.

I found one of these switches clever whereas one of them didn’t really suit my taste. Based on what I observed about the character of Marcus, I felt the humor derived from him being a careless buffoon was where the joke stole most of the awards. For the most part, this didn’t happen for me. These characters have been with us since the 90s and so making a sudden change in their character like this sounds nice in theory but I can’t help but feel that during implementation, it did not benefit Marcus at all considering he is a family man and much more pragmatic and conservative. It is unreasonable to have a heart attack and then continue chasing after candy all because Marcus is now a firm believer in the saying that “he can’t die”. This entire alteration is what ruffled feathers in the incorrect fashion because the storyline was archaic and degenerative because the Bad Boys are in their 50s. Quite the contrary, these characters are almost over the hill, making most of the humor that made it through, Mike’s eye rolls at Marcus’ funny antics.

It is worth noting that Mike’s panic attacks are fully in character with the development of his character. Since the time that he was introduced, Mike has always trodden a path of disobedience and caused chaos, but now he has a motive of taking care of someone he loves and who is in his life. He is much more controlled now, much more decisive, and witnessing him lose control in the middle of a gunfight is a splendid perspective to experience and understand Mike from a much more natural lens.

In the meantime, there is a conspiracy around Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), with the bad guys framing him for working with the cartels as far back as 2003. Mike and Marcus together with Mike’s jailed son Armando have a mission to take out the people who are conspiring against Howard. Naturally, things do not turn out how they should and the bad boys are on the run and Howard’s daughter, who is played by Rhea Seehorn in Better Call Saul, is after them. Of course, The Fugitive comes to mind when one watches this.

I did not find the comedy to be effective in this one, but what worked for me was the action. Directors Adil & Bilall came back and this time their action cinematography was elevated, and it looked like they pulled out all the stops there because the action was well-staged and shot except for an annoying first-person sequence towards the end when a shooter’s POV shot makes the entire scene feel like a bad video game. Another impressive thing, and one of the highlights of the film, was the way practical effects were used during the action scenes. Specialists in classic effects, such as blood squibs, were also nice to see in today’s era of CGI. The way the camera moved around the sets and the colors used were also quite pleasing. Last but not least, kudos to Reggie, who appeared in this franchise from Bad Boys II and suffered all along at the hands of Mike and Marcus. However, this time, it’s Reggie who gets the best action scenes in the movie!

As far as Bad Boys: Ride or Die is concerned, seeing it in comparison with its predecessor, I think it’s safe to say, it disappoints and is quite underwhelming. It is one of those movies that can be watched if you need something fun and silly and overall, it was quite well done in that sense.

You are entirely correct. There is a sense that this film is an 80s or early 90s action-comedy classic. It is pleasing to note that quite accessible action-hero-centric buddy cop films for an older audience can still be produced today. I didn’t think it was particularly humorous and was a bit disappointed with the depiction of Marcus in this film, but the main plot and the case were entertaining. It is not a disappointment, but I would not say it is fantastic.

For More Movie Like Bad Boys: Ride or Die Visit on 123Movies

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top