The Bad Boys franchise is nearing its 30th anniversary, yet it's become one of the most consistent action franchises. All four films are consistently fun and consistently watchable. But they also consistently fail to rise to the level of greatness. Despite eye-popping stunt work and grade-A chemistry from its two leads, none of them have the breathless ambition of the Mission: Impossible movies or the balletic grace of the John Wick franchise.
In this latest entry, the homophobia is toned down, the graphic violence is turned up, and Adil & Bilall prove they're the heirs apparent to Michael Bay's brand of controlled chaos. After their late captain (Joe Pantoliano) is framed for years of collaboration with drug cartels, our bad boys defy Miami police, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals to clear his name and protect Mike's son (Jacob Scipio). Behind all this mayhem is the psychotic McGrath (Eric Dane). He has one of those teams of people with no personalities, but they can seemingly orchestrate assassinations, prison riots and plane crashes with ease.
But the filmmakers don't care about plot, and seemingly neither does the audience. How characters acquire information or show up at the right (or wrong) time is completely irrelevant. Even the best actor onscreen (Rhea Seehorn) plays a character who could get completely cut out of the movie with no effect. We're here for the action and the banter, and this movie delivers. With brilliant camera work and expertly chosen locations, the setpieces are worth the price of admission. The finale, set at an abandoned alligator park, might be the most thrilling sequence in the entire franchise.
Even when some jokes fell flat or I could tell that was clearly Atlanta doubling for Miami, I never felt bored or exhausted. (Though I did roll my eyes at one stupid cameo.) It's a little bit fresher than the day-old hot dog Marcus wolfs down at the beginning of the film. And just like a convenience store snack, it hits the spot, even if there are much better choices out there.
