- Title: Bad Boys: Ride or Die
- IMDb: link
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is exactly what you would expect from the franchise known for its inconsistent consistency. We get plenty of action and explosions, overly convoluted plot leading into some humorous (and some groanworthy) situations, and a hefty dose of nostalgia and nods to fans for a franchise that is now nearly 30 years old. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return once more, this to to clear the name of their former captain (Joe Pantoliano who appears in flashbacks and shitty artsy-fartsy dream sequences). Thrown in are the obvious bad guy hiding in plain sight along with the returning Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Paola Núñez.
Our main villain this time is an evil soldier of fortune (Eric Dane) working for the cartel who frames Captain Howard, and later both Mike and Marcus, forcing them to work outside the law to clear their names with the help of Mike’s illegitimate son (Jacob Scipio). Complicating matters are an inside man feeding intel to the cartel and a gung-ho U.S. Marshall (Rhea Seehorn) out for revenge.
There’s little for me that separates the best or worst of this franchise. I will say Bad Boys: Ride or Day does have its share of moments including Reggie (Dennis Greene) finally getting his moment which is arguably the best sequence of the entire movie. You could certainly make the argument that it’s the best Bad Boys movie (which isn’t the highest of bars to clear). That said, the movie also has a Lethal Weapon 4 feel with the franchise running on fumes and playing lesser versions of its greatest hits with stars too old to be doing the same old shit.
Watch the trailer
