Bad Boys: Ride or Die

The fourth instalment in the Bad Boys series, Bad Boys: Ride or Die sees the titular Bad Boys – Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, played by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence respectively – investigate corruption in the Miami police department when their late captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is posthumously accused of associating with Miami’s criminal underworld. The duo follows a trail placed by Howard to try and root out the true crooked cops, but are soon set up themselves, and must go on the run to clear their names, as well as Howard’s.

It’s a pretty standard premise, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die doesn’t do much to innovate on the formula, but it navigates this well-trodden narrative ground effectively, hitting the core emotional beats competently enough to keep the action moving but not going much further than that. There is a fair bit of fanservice, but the plot’s simplicity means it won’t be too hard for newbies to get the lay of the land.

The film’s storytelling is strengthened by its talented cast, who put in a lot of work to keep proceedings compelling outside of the action scenes and do a great job selling comedy and pathos in equal measure. In particular, the magnetic chemistry between Smith and Lawrence helps add some extra depth to proceedings, showcasing the star power that has kept the series going since 1995.

Of course, the movie’s plot exists entirely to facilitate its main bread and butter – the action. Bad Boys: Ride or Die does not disappoint in this regard, indulging in its fast-paced, explosive eye candy with energy and gusto. Each set piece has something distinct and memorable about it, whether it’s creative lighting, cool props or DJ Khaled, and the diversity of the action helps keep things constantly exhilarating. The feature also uses a variety of interesting camera tricks to spice up the action further, including complex drone shots and a neat first-person effect.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die knows exactly what its audience wants and delivers that in spades, and even though it doesn’t have much ambition beyond that, it succeeds at its straightforward mission statement and does so with enthusiasm and flair. While its script leaves something to be desired, it more than makes up for that with its core competencies (read: explosions) and through the hard work of its cast.

Umar Ali

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is released nationwide on 5^th June 2024.

Watch the trailer for Bad Boys: Ride or Die here: