The first 'Bad Boys', released in 1995, is important: in addition to being the first feature film directed by the beloved and hated Michael Bay, it was responsible for raising Will Smith to the status of action hero (until then, the actor was best known for the sitcom 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'). After 25 years, Smith and his franchise partner, Martin Lawrence, return in a story that tries to play with the passage of time - bringing themes such as retirement and family. Now, the script is far from minimally innovative and reminds us of another recent Will Smith movie, 'Gemini Man'. Okay, even though it lacks the supposed depth of the mentioned film, 'Bad Boys For Life' takes advantage of the buddy cops subgenre to be a fun pastime.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth film in the franchise that began in the 1990s, under the direction of Michael Bay, and has seen its world transformed. Bay has become a director both loved and hated due to the Transformers saga, Will Smith won an Oscar, and Martin Lawrence's career didn't take off as anyone in the early 2000s would have thought. Even so, the saga of the two unconventional cops continues: in this fourth chapter, the visuals still echo music videos, the theme song still sticks in your head, and above all, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who already helmed the third film, continue with the blend of unbridled action and over-the-top comedy to attract new audiences while constantly nodding to fans of the past. If you turn off your critical sense for two hours, you might find room to have fun.