Lamar Reviews - "Bad Boys Ride or Die" (Airdate 6/28/2024)

This movie seemed like a last-ditch effort for Will Smith to shake the Oscar slap. And they were going way back to a movie franchise that began 29 years ago when he was 27 and at the top of his game. He did the second Bad Boys 8 years later at 35, and 17 years later at 52. After the slap he needed something familiar, and something he could count on. Another Men in Black would have been too much of a gamble, so Bad Boys number 4 was the choice. Hanging your comeback on the 4th film of a franchise that started almost 30 years ago is a gamble, but it’s not the craziest thing he’s ever done, look at his marriage. Compared to that, this is a piece of cake.

Plot wise, Captain Howard, played by Joe Pantoliano, was their Captain and was assassinated in the 3rd movie. His memory is being besmirched by criminals tying him to the cartel and being on the “take”.

He manages to get Mike and Marcus, played of course by Smith and Lawrence, the word that there are dirty cops in the department. This is as good of a storyline as any 4th movie in a franchise is going to get.

Everybody you can think of from the first three movies shows up here.

The movie is 1 hour 55 minutes, Rated R for strong violence, language, and sexual references.

But we all know plot and storyline is way down the list for a movie like this. The big question is, action and humor, is it exciting, and is it funny? Yes to both. This is Jerry Bruckheimer, we are talking about directing this movie. As in Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Con Air, to name a few.

As far as funny goes, all Will Smith has to do is look peeved. Martin Lawrence will handle the funny. Will Smith gets top billing, but Martin Lawrence steals this movie as it did with the other three.

 We all think Will Smith is the Box Office draw that we pay to see, but we are paying to see him with Martin Lawrence.

You could replace the Mike character with any other handsome Hollywood actor that is willing to be the straight man for Lawrence and people will come see Bad Boys.

He knows how to do comedy. His timing is impeccable, his face a rubber mask, he knows how to do “over the top” as good as anybody in the business.

Was the movie good? Good enough I have watched two of the other three. For me this is the best of the franchise. Will it save Smith’s career? I think it will give him the best chance he’s got. This was definitely his best move.

If I had been by myself, I would have turned around and watched it again. It was that much fun!

My Score: 5 Ice Cold Budweisers