Bad Boys: Ride or Die is going to over perform at the box-office this weekend. Even with the diminishing box-office returns in recent weeks, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence bring universal mass appeal to theaters this weekend. Together, they are a big draw, separately that hasn’t been the case in recent years. So, when Smith and Lawrence teamed up for what is now the 4th installment of this franchise, it wasn’t entirely shocking. The plot? What plot, it matters not because directors Adil Erbi and Bilall Fallah appear to be fully aware of what makes these films successful. Fast cars … check … beautiful people … check … over the top action sequences … check … Joe Pantoliano cursing from the great beyond … also check, the franchise has in many ways morphed from a buddy cop film inspired loosely by a 90’s slow jam to something out of the Fast and Furious universe. All that aside, I’d be lying to you if I said the film, wasn’t a fun experience. However, would have I felt the same way had I paid full price to see it? Not so sure.
The argument certainly could be made that when you buy a ticket to the 4th installment of the Bad Boys franchise, one knows what they are getting themselves into. I don’t disagree with that sentiment but it’s not too much to expect some new ground to be explored in the film’s plot. In fact, it felt most of the film’s funnier moments came when Lawrence and Smith were riffing on screen. While that does speak to the duo’s chemistry but not necessarily to the quality of the overall project. I am not even sure quality mattered too much as it pertains to this one. They had certain elements the film had to have, and the rest was as if they were filling out a mad lib. Again, to be clear, the film is fun but it’s nothing we haven’t seen already in the previous 3 installments.
Dewey Singleton has been reviewing new releases in television and film for many years. Dewey's reviews have been heard in multiple markets (Houston Atlanta, Tampa). Dewey's past work has been with awardswatch.com, awardsradar.com, and bleeding cool. Dewey is a proud member of the CCA.