Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the highly anticipated addition to the timeless Bad Boys franchise, being the fourth edition. As usual, the electrifying Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are bound to steal the show. This one recaptures everything good about its predecessors while deepening the plot and character development. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who directed the previous installment, are back with another hit. The movie picks off where Miami detectives, Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, as they confront dangerous ghosts from the past, with new enemies and the chaos of their profession.
Synopsis
We kick the film off on a high note and believe there’s still some level of peace. The last piece of the equation to a frenetic business and to Mike’s character is getting married to physiotherapist Christine. But, the spirit of the franchise will make sure the peace doesn’t last too long. During the wedding ceremony, Marcus Burnett has a near-life heart attack. Marcus, now in a coma induced certian state enrounters the late Captain, Conrad Howard and in a cryptic manner ensures him the time is on hold, for now. Marcus heads back into the world with a newfound perception of his reality with a belief on god-like form.
The plot thickens when new and profoundly disturbing information comes to light about Captain Howard, who until recently was viewed as a symbol of virtue because it was claimed he worked closely with Miami’s drug cartels. Furious over the scandal regarding their former mentor, Mike and Marcus adopt the stance that they will redeem Howard’s honor. This journey brings them back to Captain Rita Secada – now commanding the elite AMMO unit – and her politically minded associate Adam Lockwood, a mayoral candidate with murkier interests of his own.
In an unexpected turn of events, the detectives approach Armando Aretas, Mike’s alienated son still in prison after the dramatic conclusion of Bad Boys for Life. Armando offers important insight: in the days leading up to his death, Captain Howard was about to blow the lid off some serious corruption in the Miami Police Department. Armed with this information, Mike and Marcus are now able to attempt to unmask the real criminals and redeem Howard.
As they dig deeper, however, the hunters become the hunted. A shocking betrayal seals their fate, and they are branded and framed as criminals with a $5 million bounty on their heads. With law enforcement and vicious bounty hunters hot on their trail, the duo has no option but to go rogue. Their research brings them to James McGrath, a former Army Ranger turned DEA agent who has sold out to a cartel. McGrath has emerged as the principal conspirator, the one who planned the framing of Captain Howard along with the cover-up.
An explosive climax occurs within the wreck of an amusement park – a setting that juxtaposes chaos and entertainment elements for a thrilling finale. With McGrath holding Christine and Captain Howard’s daughter, Callie, hostage, the stakes are extreme. In a spectacular display of teamwork, Mike and Marcus, with the help of the AMMO team and even the unlikeliest of allies – Armando, manage to defeat McGrath and his henchmen. In the end, the resolution is simultaneously exciting and deeply fulfilling considering the spectacular revelation of Captain Howard’s truth and the clearing of his name.
The film ends on a touching scene with the whole crew enjoying a backyard barbecue. This wrap up serves a dual purpose, marking an end to the story while also emphasizing the loyalty, family bonds, and sense of justice which have prominently featured in the plots of Bad Boys from the very beginning.
Cast & Crew
Bad Boys: Ride or Die has found a great deal of success and this can be attributed to the amazing cast spearheaded by the iconic duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Smith, portraying Mike Lowrey, put on another one of his trademark performances—this one led with his trademark charm and action hero pizzazz, and laced with anger and sadness. Marcus Burnett, played by Lawrence, continues improbably to give hilarious delivery while also being sincere which adds dynamism to the already sizzling chemistry between the two.
Hudgens stars with a powerful supporting cast. Vanessa Hudgens reprises her role of Kelly, the AMMO unit’s ultra-competent weapons specialist. Dorn is played once more by Alexander Ludwig, the team’s intellectual tech genius, whose brain and gadgets are crucial during the missions. Captain Rita Secada, who combines both emotional depth and a commanding presence, is played brilliantly by Paola Núñez.
Jacob Scipio, as Armando Aretas, skillfully performs the complex facets of his character’s redemption arc. Eric Dane chillingly convinces the audience he is the villainous James McGrath, intricately sculpting an antagonist that is both intensely evil and tragically corrupted. Other notable performances include Ioan Gruffudd as the politically ambitious Adam Lockwood, and Rhea Seehorn as Judy Howard, portraying a character who becomes personally invested in the mission.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah keep the franchise’s signature breakneck pacing while adding a more mature tone to the story. The humorous, action-packed, and dramatic screenplay was written by Chris Bremner and Will Beall. The film’s legendary producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, ensures the film contains the exhilarating pyrotechnics it’s fans have come to expect, while rounded out by Will Smith, Chad Oman, and Doug Belgrad on the production side to solidify the backbone of this venture.
Riding Shotgun:
Although released recently, Bad Boys: Ride or Die has performed well commercially and has a strong following. With an IMDb score of 7.0, the movie seems to be well accepted considering that it has received mixed reviews from critics. Most have brought up the fact that the nostalgia factor alongside a fresh lift to the storyline was entertaining. Although being criticized for having a slightly disorganized narrative structure, Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry has been noted as the strongest aspect of the movie. Most have thought of the catchy action scenes in the movie, mockery ridden comedy, and sad but raw scenes to be brilliant bracketing objectives.
The beauty of the movie encapsulates all the reasons that make Bad Boys compelling: an irrational amount of laced action, hyperbolically masculine sentiments intertwined together, and incredulous humor. This undeniably speaks to not only the imagination of the people working on the story but also the main actors in the film who have emerged as a valuable asset to the movie.
Conclusion
Like other titles in the Bad Boys universe, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is nothing short of a spectacular piece filled with action sequences as well as high-octane chases while at the same time, catering to emotional appeal in its narrative development. The Bad Boys franchise earns yet another entry into Hollywood’s finest buddy-cop sagas with this one, displaying humor, heartfelt depiction, and striking set-pieces wrapped in a single package. For franchise fans or newcomers, the chapter offers a wild and entertaining adventure throughout the movie.
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