Mario’s Musings: Bad Boys For Life
Mike: “PUT YOUR GLASSES ON!”
Marcus: “IT WAS A BAD THROW!”
So I decided to take a Sunday to myself and go see a matinee. I figured I try out the new movie theater at the Fashion District, and all in all, it was a nice experience. Check out that theater when you’re in the city. Now as for the movie I saw…
I love the first two Bad Boys movies. In fact, I think I’m just a sucker for buddy cop movies in general, even the bad ones, no pun intended. Yes, that includes Hollywood Homicide. And trust me, that one is bad, and it stars my favorite actor.
So color me shocked when I checked the critics’ reviews of the first two movies and found out that they were critically panned, but then this new one received glowing reviews for the most part. As much as I loved the first two despite the reviews, I had to see this one just to see the difference. And to be honest, I get why. This movie has some tear jerking moments, the original score, some fun callbacks to the first two films, and a pretty decent twist that I did not see coming (okay, I saw it coming, but it was about maybe five minutes or so before the twist was revealed).
Like the first two movies, this focuses on the Miami police duo of Detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett being the same bickering pals they always are. Things have changed since we last saw Mike and Marcus though, as Marcus is now considering retirement, for he’s now a grandfather, his daughter having just given birth (a quick laugh is earned when the father is revealed to be the poor kid that Mike and Marcus harass in the second movie). Things get complicated though when a woman from Mike’s past escapes from prison thanks to her son. They’re out for revenge, with Mike and some others being their prime targets.
The first two movies were directed by Michael Bay, and it shows in the action scenes of this one, which didn’t have his direction. There aren’t as many long drawn out shots of the characters, the action isn’t as over the top as the second movie, and honestly, the story is just slightly more coherent than the firs two. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who went to film school together, directed this one, and are apparently locked in to direct the next Beverly Hills Cop movie. So these two might have some bigger films on their horizon if that one is a commercial and financial success as well.
In closing, this was a fun morning at the movies for me. If you loved the previous two movies, you’ll love this one. This one brings the funny and brings the feelings as well. Based on the box office results, we might be getting a fourth on