After delivering a breakout reentry for the Bad Boys franchise with Bad Boys for Life, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah as well as stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite for another action-packed endeavor. With Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the franchise cements itself as a reliable crowd-pleaser…as long as it sticks to its wildly fun action and comedic chemistry. 

The film follows Miami cops Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) as they start new chapters in their lives. Mike has gotten married and Marcus – despite having a near-death experience – has a newfound lease on life. Although they continue to mourn the loss of their beloved, foul-mouthed Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), both of them couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out. Unfortunately, their bliss is broken when a new enemy draws them into a deadly conflict spurred by secrets and lies. Now, Mike and Marcus must uncover the truth  before everyone they love is caught in the crossfire. 

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a testament to the strength and sheer likeability of Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry. It never gets old watching these two throw hilarious digs at one another and be fully committed to the silliest moments of their adventures. From improving a Reba McEntire tune to Marcus bearing it all after a euphoric realization, Smith and Lawrence’s dedication is at an all-time high. The bond they share continues to feel real and is something that heightens the emotions of certain scenes as well. By now, fans genuinely feel like they’re a part of this friendship and it’s what makes the laughs only get stronger with each film. These two truly are the heart of this series and fans won’t leave disappointed by the hilarity they deliver. 

Even better, the film’s comedic vibes run through the supporting cast as well. Although Dorn (Alexander Ludwig) and Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens) are the only returning AMMO members from Bad Boys for Life, they have more going on now. They add some light-hearted laughs to serious scenes – especially Dorn – and have a fun little arc of their own. It’s also good to see Armando (Jacob Scipio) toss in a funny sense of doubt that Smith and Lawrence play off perfectly. But the real standout is undoubtedly Reggie (Dennis Greene). While his presence is still small, there’s a scene where Reggie is basically let off the leash (and the couch) and ultimately redefined as an unassuming badass. Reggie’s action hero moment is one of the best moments of Bad Boys: Ride or Die because of how joyously unexpected it is, and it leads to a hilarious interaction later on that’ll leave fans grinning from ear to ear. 

The action, in general, is top-notch and features the most creative direction of the franchise. Arbi and Fallah clearly have a blast taking full advantage of the film’s larger scale. Big gunfights are much more eye-catching thanks to splashes of color that light up the screen. Chase sequences carry well-built tension and the combat can hit really hard – creating jaw-dropping reactions. Also, Arbi and Fallah show a much stronger vision for entertaining and engaging action. The finale takes a first-person turn that’s amazing to see play out and it’s always great to see these two never shy away from splicing in a fun sense of danger.  Whether it’s the appearance of an albino alligator or trying to survive in a falling plane, Mike and Marcus literally have to be ready for anything – which is funny and intense. Arbi and Fallah excellently weave together great action thrills and hilarious line drops and it’s why this franchise continues to be highly entertaining at nearly every turn.

Unfortunately, the overarching narrative doesn’t live up to the same standards. Now, the plot isn’t outright terrible in any way and does have solid bits of emotion strung throughout. The conversations between Mike and Armando can make their tense father-son arc a relevant thread. Plus, the nods to Captain Howard will have fans in their feels. But, there are a lot of glaring weak points that constantly take away from the experience. 

The whole concept of Marcus having this near-death experience is far too silly to really feel impactful and isn’t consistently touched on. After Marcus wakes from his coma with a new view on life, this storyline is only brought up for comedic bits and doesn’t actually result in any sort of meaningful arc for Marcus. It’s honestly something that’s done just so Marcus can have something going on and frankly, it rarely leads to laughs later on. Also, the whole mystery that’s established of who is trying to frame Captain Howard (and eventually Mike and Marcus) deeply underwhelms. Aside from a dark introduction that’s surprisingly cold, the film’s main villain is as generic as they come and barely leaves an impression. Even worse, the breadcrumbs left for Mike, Marcus, and the audience to follow are just measly and thin at best. They never lead towards shocking answers and most of the twists and betrayals can be seen from miles away. It’s easily Mike and Marcus’ dullest story to date and it’s a shame that the film’s narrative doesn’t have the same creative juice as the rest of the film. 

Thankfully though, a strong narrative isn’t necessary this time around as fans will be more than happy with Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Despite clear narrative shortcomings, the franchise’s signature, energetic action continues to be bolstered by Abri and Fallah’s stellar vision, and Smith and Lawrence are more than capable of carrying the load through their rock-solid chemistry.

Watch the trailer here: