Bad Boys: Ride or Die Reviews

After successfully resurrecting the Bad Boys franchise on an unexpected high in 2020, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah return for another round of comedic, action-packed mayhem in 2024's Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Most franchises grow stale and dull by the fourth instalment (see Die Hard, Terminator, or Predator), but this fourth Bad Boys flick shows no signs of fatigue, surpassing its immediate predecessor while also emerging as one of the year's best and most enjoyable action offerings. With a screenplay by Will Beall (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F) and returning writer Chris Bremner, Bad Boys: Ride or Die directly follows on from Bad Boys for Life, tying into the previous movie's events and bringing back returning characters, meaning that familiarity with the first three films is essential to get the most out of this instalment. While Bad Boys for Life was more heartfelt and story-driven, Bad Boys: Ride or Die wisely cuts loose, cranking up the comedy while delivering bombastic action scenes and never forgetting the core appeal of these movies. Although not as instantly iconic as the untouchable Bad Boys II, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a blast.


Finally ready to settle down in his middle age, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) marries his physical therapist, Christine (Melanie Liburd), but their wedding day is spoiled when Mike's best friend and long-time partner, Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), suffers a near-fatal heart attack during the reception. After seeing visions of the late Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) while in a coma, Marcus wakes up believing he cannot die and approaches life with a new enthusiasm. However, news soon breaks that authorities believe Captain Howard was dirty and worked with the drug cartels, an allegation that the Bad Boys refuse to accept. Desperate to prove Howard's innocence, the pair turn to Mike's incarcerated son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), who can identify the man responsible for orchestrating the Captain's assassination, James McGrath (Eric Dane). With help from Rita (Paola Núñez) and her new boyfriend, district attorney Adam Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd), Mike and Marcus take custody of Armando to transfer him to safety in Miami, but they wind up stranded and on the run, with the authorities branding them as fugitives. Unsure who to trust, the Bad Boys turn to AMMO members Rita, Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), and Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens).

Whereas Bad Boys for Life increased the stakes by breaking up Mike and Marcus for a portion of the proceedings, Bad Boys: Ride or Die keeps the pair together from start to finish, with the iconic Bad Boys working to solve the conspiracy and prove their late Captain's innocence while eluding the authorities. It is an undeniably clichéd premise, but the story is a secondary concern for the Bad Boys films, which are more about the action, comedy and interplay between Mike and Marcus. Although it doesn't offer any truly innovative or original, the story is perfectly serviceable and the directors treat it with sufficient sincerity, while the pacing is assured and the picture does not outstay its welcome despite a beefy 115-minute running time. Additionally, the script reminds us that the two leads are human and are getting older, with Marcus suffering a heart attack early in the proceedings while Mike begins experiencing panic attacks, including during a high-stakes pursuit. Acknowledging their ages and giving them flaws adds some extra dimension and makes them more interesting.


With a generous budget (a reported $100 million), Bad Boys: Ride or Die is polished and slick, looking like a big-budget blockbuster instead of a forgettable distraction for the streaming crowd. Showing ample visual invention during the action set pieces, Adil and Bilall enliven the shootouts with creative cinematography, including first-person-shooter-style shots and aerial photography, making the flick more aesthetically engaging than most B-grade action titles. The directorial duo take visible inspiration from Michael Bay's brand of visual overkill, though the resulting cinematic style is their own since they do not fall victim to headache-inducing shaky cam or rapid-fire editing. The action is destructive and violent, luckily retaining the franchise's coveted R rating that allows for satisfying bloodshed, and the directors further channel Michael Bay (who even makes a cameo driving a Porsche) by paying homage to Bad Boys II in several moments, including use of slow motion and tracking shots of bullets.

Although not all of the green-screen effects are entirely convincing (the driving scenes look a touch ropey), the digital effects throughout Bad Boys: Ride or Die are mostly solid, with Adil and Bilall even incorporating alligators into the deliriously enjoyable climactic shootout at an abandoned amusement park. Although Smith and Lawrence continue to play an active part in the action sequences, one of the film's most notable highlights does not involve the pair - Dennis Green's Reggie comes full circle in a crowd-pleasing throwdown with several assailants during a home invasion, proving himself as a capable man of action. Furthermore, returning composer Lorne Balfe amplifies the excitement during the action sequences, sampling and paying homage to Mark Mancina's music from the original film. Hearing the Bad Boys theme again is an undeniable thrill, and the soundtrack also features the iconic titular song.


Smith and Lawrence's chemistry and interplay remain the franchise's biggest asset, as the two comedic performers continue to score laughs with seemingly little effort. It is an ideal comeback role for Smith after the infamous Oscar slap, with the performer continuing to show his trademark charm and humorous spark, and the film even slyly references the slap. However, although frequently hilarious, the film still lacks the type of defining and memorable comedic moments that made Bad Boys II such a standout (nothing rivals Reggie's introduction). It is nice to see the AMMO squad return here (with the curious absence of Charles Melton), and the actors make a good impression, with Ludwig once again the standout. Despite Captain Howard's demise in Bad Boys for Life, Joe Pantoliano still appears in a minor capacity via video messages and Marcus's visions, and he scores a few laughs. Meanwhile, the lovely Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul) appears as Captain Howard's daughter, Judy, but she feels miscast in this mostly thankless role despite her immense dramatic talents. Also joining the cast is Ioan Gruffudd, who plays one of the most obvious bad guys imaginable. Even though Gruffudd's villainy is supposed to be a twist, it would have been a far more unexpected twist if he was not corrupt. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is also the first Bad Boys movie without Theresa Randle as Marcus's wife because she retired from acting in 2020. In her place is Tasha Smith, though the change is thankfully not distracting.

It is comforting that there is still a place for the old-fashioned Bad Boys movies in a modern cinematic climate dominated by superhero movies and expensive PG-13 blockbusters, and it is all the more encouraging that Bad Boys: Ride or Die is an entertaining and lively distraction instead of a soulless, boring cash grab. With outstanding action scenes and uproarious comedy plus a sufficiently engaging story that links to the previous movies, it is difficult to imagine any franchise fans walking away unsatisfied. The movie leaves room for another sequel, and the prospect of a fifth Bad Boys picture is legitimately exciting for this reviewer as the series remains reliably enjoyable nearly thirty years after the first film entered cinemas. Stick around for a brief post-credits scene that does not deliver anything narratively significant but does contain an additional gag.

7.9/10