Perhaps what’s most encouraging about “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is that it doesn’t fall into the legacy sequel trap that “Bad Boys for Life” seemed to set it up for. Where the younger, hipper officers of AMMO in that film made Mike and Marcus wary of continuing to suit up at all, “Ride or Die” is never concerned with any passing of the torch. That’s not to say it doesn’t continue exploring the issue of legacy; quite the contrary, as one of the major arcs of the film involves Mike and Marcus coming to new understandings of what their lives are for.
As a franchise, the “Bad Boys” films seem to be in conversation with the “Fast Saga,” which is only fair, given that the latter definitely borrowed the flashiness and style-conscious aspects of the former. Similar to the “Fast” films, “Ride or Die” makes the extended family (literal and figurative) of Mike and Marcus major players in the story, and the soap opera begun by “for Life” continues here, with characters switching loyalties and/or demonstrating their camaraderie in between explosions.
Unlike the folks from the “Fast” films, however, the Bad Boys aren’t elevated to near-super heroic status; Smith, Lawrence, Adil & Bilall keep Mike and Marcus winningly human. They’re adult men who suffer from heart attacks and panic attacks as much as they leap over cars and make impossible shots with their pistols. That special, magic mixture of grounded heart with over-the-top action and comedy is what makes a “Bad Boys” film, and make no mistake: “Ride or Die” is not only a great “Bad Boys” film, it’s also a top-tier action comedy.
/Film Rating: 8 out of 10
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” opens in theaters June 7, 2024.