Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, cements why this franchise has continued to grow over the almost 30 years since the first Bad Boys movie premiered in 1995. The magic and chemistry that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence bring to Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett in this action-packed buddy cop film have only gotten stronger, and they haven’t missed a beat.
Spoiler warning!
Bad Boys: Ride or Die – A Personal Case
Their next case hits close to home. The late Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is posthumously implicated in corruption in a drug cartel money laundering scheme set up by James McGrath (Eric Dane). It’s up to two of Miami’s finest to save his legacy. In trying to clear Captain Howard’s name, they must go on the run with Mike’s son Armando (Jacob Scipio), the son he never knew until he tried to kill him and was subsequently sent to prison for his crimes.
Directors Arbi and Fallah expanded the world that Michael Bay introduced us to and brought their own stamp to the franchise. They balanced the serious undertones in the story while keeping the laughs and jokes coming, creating a familiar and entertaining experience. The incredible stunt work and fight choreography are on another level.
Family Matters
Mike Lowrey, the bachelor, is no more. You’ll be surprised to discover the bride is not Rita, Mike is getting married to Christine (Melanie Liburd), we learn was his physical therapist. Rita introduces Mike to her new boyfriend Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd), who is running for Mayor of Miami. Marcus can barely get through his best man’s speech as he gets emotional, relinquishing his role of being Mike’s partner for life to Christine. He then suffers a heart attack on the dance floor.
Mike and Marcus experience a role reversal after Marcus’ near-death experience. Marcus has no fear weighing him down and trusts himself more than before. The new behavior seems reckless to Mike, who is known as the reckless one. While Marcus is the cautious one. Meanwhile, Mike deals with panic attacks after realizing he has something to lose: his wife and son. The film also does a great job of building Mike and Armando’s father-son relationship.
Old and New Allies
After learning that Lockwood betrayed them and that Captain Howard’s granddaughters Callie and Christine have been taken by McGrath. It’s up to Marcus, Mike, and Armando ultimately bringing in the only team they can trust to save them: Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens), and Rita (Paola Nuñez).
A standout moment in the film comes in the form of Reggie. We all remember meeting Reggie in Bad Boys 2 and again once he marries Megan in Bad Boys for Life. In Bad Boys: Ride or Die, we see Reggie’s growth as a character in a way the audience hasn’t seen before. Maybe for the first time since he was 15, he has earned the respect of Marcus.
Bad Boys Franchise
I’ve been a fan of this franchise since I was younger. When Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teamed up as their careers starting reaching new heights in 1995. They created something special. If Bad Boys: Ride or Die can make over $250 millions dollars at the worldwide box office, the franchise would become a billon dollar franchise. I believe this would be the second or third time a black lead movie franchise has reached over a billion dollars. Talks of a possible Bad Boys 5 in the future and I would not be mad about it. As long as they are able, the story continues to be get better and better I will ride with them until the end.
If you love the Bad Boys franchise and buddy cop action movies, Bad Boys: Ride or Die will not disappoint. It feels like coming home. The film, produced by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence hits theaters on June 5th.
