- Will Smith, Vanessa Hudgens, Martin Lawrence
- June 5th 2024
- Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return as Miami PD detectives Mike and Marcus in the fourth instalment in the buddy cop franchise.
It’s been almost 30 years since the Bad Boys burst onto our screens in 1995 and now they are back for a fourth round with Ride or Die.
The fourth outing, which comes four years after 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, once again reunites audiences with Miami PD detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence).
When their longtime boss Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who was murdered in the previous film, is posthumously framed and accused of working with the drug cartels for years, Mike and Marcus set out to clear his name and find who the real culprit is. Of course, in their quest to clear Howard, they unwittingly become wanted fugitives themselves.
The leads have changed somewhat since we saw them last time. Mike, who is now settled down, suffers from mental health issues that he always waves off as if it’s no big deal. On the flipside, after a near-death experience, Marcus is no longer a wimp; he believes he’s invincible and has no fear walking into a dangerous situation.
The banter between the duo is genuinely very funny this time around when it was hit-and-miss previously. Marcus’s newfound fearlessness makes him hilarious and they bounce off each other brilliantly.
In addition to the buddy cop comedy, Bad Boys: Ride or Die also delivers on the action. There are a lot of highly entertaining blockbuster action setpieces and cool stunts. Some moments are totally ridiculous but it’s easy to roll with the silliness when a film is so unapologetically big, bold and loud.
There are some elements that don’t particularly work. For example, the identity of the double-crosser is very obvious and predictable from the outset, there are some weird dream sequences and some speedy, disorientating camera movements at times.
But overall, this film is a significant improvement upon its predecessor and a return to form for the franchise. It feels more like Michael Bay’s original films, even though it was made by Adil and Billal (who helmed the previous one).
With hilarious comedy, exciting action setpieces and a banging soundtrack, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a fun time at the movies.
In cinemas from Wednesday 5th June.
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