Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Bad-Boys-Ride-or-Die
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Home » Bad Boys: Ride or Die

I’m not accusing the writers of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” of using A.I, a delicate issue in Hollywood these days. However, if a computer had written this blockbuster sequel, it would not be very different.

Ride or Die” is more direct to the 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life” that people may expect and checks all the boxes of this movie in a depressingly half-hearted manner, scared of trying something else and innovative. Indeed, it does have moments where it springs into life chiefly through its hyperactive cinematography and editing. But it loses the dynamisms and inventiveness completely as it seems happy just to do what it has done before as safely as possible. It turns out that there were three options: Ride, Die or Tread Water.

Almost everything here aggressively mirrors something from the last film, right from the nausea-inducing drive through Miami that opens each installment to a close call with Death for one of the beloved characters. In two movies back Mike Lowery (Will Smith) got shot on South Beach while more recently Marcus Miles (Martin Lawrence) suffers from cardiac arrest during Mike’s nuptials to Christine (Melanie Liburd). While attempted murder in part three started a story about friendship and seizing another opportunity at life, here Marcus is used for slightly sillier purpose because he now believes he cannot die ever again. After all, when he was near death Captain Conrad Howard’s ghost told him it wasn’t his time yet so now he can run across traffic even though his wife/life partner doesn’t let him eat Skittles anymore.

Unlike For Life with the attempt on Mike’s life which kickstarts its plot immediately, Meandering too long before getting down to business.” He practically died but Conrad-Wan Kenobi warned him that “a storm is coming”, who happens to be cartel enforcer McGrath (the terminally boring Eric Dane) that is basically just an action MacGuffin. Then, the worst defined and all around incompetent blockbuster villains in years is introduced whereby Howard is framed for corruption by having drug money wired into his account. As the system appears to be ablaze, Howard’s legacy Mike and Marcus have to clear his name at any cost, which entails some inside information about cartels from imprisoned Armando (the suave Jacob Scipio), Mike’s son from the last film.

This is not a “Bad Boys” movie if the protagonists are not rebelling against the system, which in this case consists of Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd) who might be elected as a future Miami mayor, and he has been romantically involved with Mike’s ex and current Captain, Rita Secada (Paola Nunez). In addition to that, Captain Howard who is Judy’s (Rhea Seehorn) father is also a US Marshall and his daughter Callie (Quinn Hemphill) comes into play mostly as one more damsel-in-distress in waiting. There are also way too many cast members including Tasha Smith as Marcus’ wife Theresa (a recasting from Theresa Randle), Vanessa Hudgens & Alexander Ludwig returning, and an assortment of random cameos some of which are fresh ideas while others seem like they have already done before.

Of course, what makes a Bad Boys movie work is the chemistry between Smith and Lawrence. This quality was demonstrated well in the 2020 flick, in fact it appears to have only intensified after 17 years apart. To put it directly, there’s much slackening here most of first half jokes do not raise any laughter, also too often dramaticity becomes shallow or cliched when comparing to previous films thus shortening its length but making it feel longer than ever due to its clumsiness. Definitely no body looks forward for intelligence from Bad Boys movies but writers Chris Bremner and Will Beall don’t quite get it right. This particularly surfaces when considering how they keep dropping hints about issues such as widespread corruption or even how their villain changed because of tortures until they simply do nothing about them. If you’re going to be silly about something, go all out don’t just nonchalantly mention how 9/11 shaped our world today.

The point is, Adil and Bilall’s indecisiveness about drone photography makes the film glow during a few dramatic scenes. The drone camera circles the action in each shootout with scenes that continually move around the room; it provides most of the movie’s drive. Maybe it is meant to mask the fact that Smith and Lawrence can’t pull off John Wick-like stunts anymore, although there is an erratic flow to it which epitomizes this film. It is vibrant, fashionable and keeps bouncing around the viewer’s eyes as it moves across the frame. There are moments in this film where you’re like “okay” one involving helicopters and a final showdown at an alligator farm (which make even less sense as time goes on), but never mind that Marcus somehow has Hulk-like muscles after he jumps out of a helicopter (or whatever) and some credit should go to Scipio for handling action sequences with more fire than much of what happens elsewhere in these movies. He could easily carry his own ‘Bad Boys Jr.’

Bad Boys for Life” was a surprise, coming several years behind schedule and mixing nostalgia with modern filmmaking techniques that every fan of old-school cinema would appreciate just prior to COVID-19 outbreak. It is obvious why “Ride or Die” decided to do it again rather than create something new based on things that went well in its predecessor because they didn’t want to take risks. But just because its financially understandable doesn’t mean it’s good; even A.I knows that.

Watch Bad Boys: Ride or Die For Free On Putlocker.

Leave a Comment

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

Scroll to Top