You can’t think about the best action films of the ‘90s without Will Smith and Martin Lawrence coming to mind in Bad Boys. The 1995 buddy cop film started a franchise that combined humor, action and plenty of iconic movie quotes that have endured over the decades. Now Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett are back in the new sequel Bad Boys: Ride or Die, showing off more of the actors’ A+ chemistry. The fourth movie in the franchise has screened, and those who were able to catch a showing ahead of its June 7 release date are hitting social media with their first reactions.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die sees Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s characters turning their sights on the MIami Police Department in a twist involving legacy character Captain Conrad Howard. Though the captain died in 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, he’s posthumously accused of having been involved with the drug cartel, and our heroes set out to clear his name. Drew Taylor of The Wrap certainly seemed to enjoy it, noting one of the newcomers to the cast. The critic writes:
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a total blast. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are still great at busting each others’ balls, the new mystery is compelling (Eric Dane is a great baddie) and Adil & Bilall’s action sequences are loaded with inventive staging and camerawork. Bad Boys forever.
The outlet Atom agrees Will Smith and Martin Lawrence aren’t merely taking a victory lap with this sequel. The site goes so far as to say this installment is the best in the franchise. In Atom’s words:
RIDE OR DIE, AMAZING! Another hilarious entry with heart. Smith & Lawrence are so magical again. Fun sequences, great dialogue & big epic action that jacks you off. Not just another comedy, it’s the BEST Bad Boys movie ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next. … The chemistry never gets old, we would watch 30 more bad boys films if we could. Will Smith & Martin Lawrence strike gold again. Audiences are going to love this, a must see opening night! Do not miss the comedy action event of the summer!
Maurice Moyer writes that Bad Boys: Ride or Die checks the boxes of everything you’d want out of a movie in this genre, rating it a perfect 10/10. Moyer tweets:
???? Excitement overload! Just caught the exclusive premiere of the new Bad Boys Ride or Die Movie and OH BOY, it’s a wild ride! ???????? Comedy? Check. Action? Double check. A perfect blend of old-school and new hip culture. ???????? 10/10!
It’s more than just action and comedy, though, according to Bill Bria of SlashFilm. The critic says directors Adil & Bilall have included emotion to balance the excitement and explosions. Bria’s post reads:
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a total blast. It’s crazy how Adil & Bilali have tapped into the strong emotional core of this series without sacrificing any of its insane fun. Smith & Lawrence bring their A-game, the supporting cast step it way up (REGGIE!), & shit blows up real good.
It’s no hot take that Shika Sweetie thinks the second film of the franchise is the best, but fans might be excited to hear that Ride or Die exceeds even that 2003 classic in her mind. She writes:
Omg Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a must see… It might actually be funnier than Bad Boys 2! And everybody knows Bad Boys 2 was the best one!
Owen Danoff of ScreenRant agrees with Shika Sweetie and is one of many to give Dennis Greene props as Marcus’ son-in-law Reggie. Danoff also points out that moviegoers don’t need to be familiar with the first three films to enjoy this one. The critic tweets:
Just saw Bad Boys: Ride or Die! The action is just as good as you’d expect, and it might be the funniest yet? Biggest applause(s) in my screening went to Dennis Greene as Reggie for reasons I’ll let you see for yourselves! No prior Bad Boys knowledge needed to have fun!
Entertainment writer Shanelle Genai says there’s no shortage of entertainment when it comes to the fourth Bad Boys movie, and while the emotion is definitely there, Ride or Die is first and foremost about fun. In Genai’s words:
Oh girrrrrrrl, this was a FUN WATCH!! The Bad Boys agenda is alive & well, long & strong???????? It feels good to have FUN movies in theaters, ya know? It has its serious moments when it needs to but its overall goal is to ENTERTAIN. Bring some escapism. Can’t wait to see it again!
Unfortunately the movie isn’t for everyone. Russ Milheim of The Direct admits it wasn’t his cup of tea, though he notes his fellow moviegoers were having fun and fans of the other Bad Boys movies likely won’t be disappointed.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die was sadly not the movie for me. But it seems lots of fans of the franchise will enjoy it, and the audience I watched the movie with were having a blast.
Those who have seen the other Bad Boys movies likely know a little of what to expect with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s humor and chemistry. Most of the critics seem to agree that Bad Boys: Ride or Die does not disappoint. While we wait for the movie to hit the 2024 movie calendar on June 7, you can refresh your memory on the franchise, with the first three Bad Boys movies being available to stream with a Hulu subscription.