Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment of the buddy-buddy detective franchise that first premiered in 1995. Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the Belgian duo behind the 2020 sequel, the film follows detectives Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) as they investigate corruption in the Miami Police Department. After being turned into fugitives during a set-up, they must solve the case outside the law and clear the name of the late Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who is posthumously accused of sending intel to a cartel in South Florida.
The action scenes in Bad Boys: Ride or Die are raucous and give the film a much-needed energy boost. Eric Dane puts in an excellent performance as the menacing villain with a mangled hand following a grisly-sounding torture known as the ‘Columbian Manicure’. The cast is also given a boost by the star power of Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig and Paolo Núñez, who reprise their roles as members of AMMO (Advanced Miami Metro Operations), while Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn joins as the ballsy US Marshall daughter of Captain Howard.
However, the film’s script is workaday and co-written by Chris Bremner, who did much better work on the previous installment. The Bad Boys themselves have subplots that don’t work; Marcus is supposed to be on a diet but is always seeking out candy. As a result, the running gag is so lame that it’s liable to give the audience toothache. Additionally, Markus has a bizarre thing where he believes he cannot die, which is an irritating idea that resurfaces again with diminishing returns.
Though Smith returns to the role of Mikey effortlessly, Lawrence is weighed down by ridiculous subplots that do nothing to add value to the film. Fans of the franchise may find something nostalgic in this fourth installment, but it’s unlikely to make any new converts. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is best enjoyed for its imaginative action sequences. The film releases in cinemas on June 5
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