Bad Boys for Life (2020)

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Here's an interesting example of a film with interesting timing. Released in the beginning of 2020, this happens to be one of the last films I saw in theatres before everything shut down, thanks the that horrible C-word (and I don't mean the one that's often okay to say in Britain). So, I guess it could be said that I have a little bit of a soft-spot for this, as it stands as a reminder to me that sometimes we just want to be entertained, even if the film is a little off the wall. 'Bad Boys' was always a good example of such a thought.

I even remember that at the time, I was looking at this as one of those rare, hidden gems that could be found within the deep, dark pit that is the January/February dumping zone. It's the same every year, lately (save maybe for 2021 and 2022), but as long as one has their eyes peeled for them, these not-so-hidden gems can be found. 'Bad Boys for Life' was definitely one of these, and provided another rarity in reaching into our nostalgia and not messing it all up!

I mean, here we have a title that probably should have sucked, just based on what it is - a third title that no one was really asking for at the time, cranked out about fifteen years too late. And when you look at the critic's consensus for 'Bad Boys II,' it's a little bit surprising that they have decided tho push forward with the 'Bad Boys' franchise. But I'll be damned if they didn't grasp at our nostalgia and fully succeed. I might consider this the weakest of the bunch at this point, but it's still about as fun as a 'Bad Boys' movie ought to be.

Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) come speeding back into our lives, and we welcome them with open arms. Honestly, I remember feeling it when I was sitting there in the theatre, as if to say "I didn't realize I missed this." Just as we fondly remember the pair, Mike's still confident in his driving skills, while Marcus reluctantly goes along for the ride, on the edge of vomiting all over that sleek interior. The perfect scene to snatch us back up after so long of a wait.

After a bit of fun chaos, we find out Marcus has a newborn grandchild, and during a celebration, Marcus mentions retirement. This pretty much goes against Mike's thoughts of being partners forever, calling back to their mantra - "we ride together, we die together, bad boys for life" (pulled from 'Bad Boys II'). Before they know it, their friendship is tested, when a case very personal to Mike pops up, and Marcus refuses to get back into things, and become the family man he wants to be.

There's actually quite a bit that happens in between all that, I'm not gonna lie, but this is one of those movies that's full of interesting surprises along the way, so no spoiler territory here. More will be revealed in the review for 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die.' Interestingly, in its own way, even for a balls-to-the-wall 'Bad Boys' movie, things get pretty deep here. It was actually a great film for developing both Mike and Marcus, as it peels back some never before seen layers to them, humanizing them a bit more than they were before this.

Directorial team Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (credited as Adil and Bilall) had to have been fans of those original films, as they do a solid job here in keeping the R-rated heart of 'Bad Boys' alive, but making it their own thing. I think if you liked the first two, this one will be just as entertaining. That said, I still love the action-fest that is 'Bad Boys II' a bit more than this, but remember that I go against other critics on that. It's a good resurrection to the series here, and Adil and Bilall do these Bad Boys justice.


​4/5

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