The Bad Boys franchise that started in 1995 has delivered two of the most popular action comedies to date. After the massive hit that was Bad Boys 2 in 2003, development on a sequel was started with many writers and directors joining and leaving the project over the next 15 years. It got to the point where a third film was highly unlikely especially due to the higher rate that Will Smith was continuing to achieve, and the more projects he was getting involved in. Finally in February 2018 Sony appointed Belgian directors Adil El Arbi & Billal Fallah (with much surprise) to direct the next installment in the series. Soon after Will Smith & Martin Lawrence were both attached to come back to the project and the anticipation was underway!
Being someone who is born & raised in Miami, I absolutely love this series and how they mix the comedy & ridiculous action that deliver very enjoyable experiences with moments of disbelief. If you are wondering if 17 years is too long for a third installment in a franchise then you would be wrong. Bad Boys For Life is a worthy conclusion to the series that brings back what fans love about the two Detectives from The Miami Dade Police Department. Many were surprised that acclaimed director Michael Bay who started his career with this series wasn’t going to come back as other projects came up. After seeing the film I can say that I was surprised at how different, yet similar the movie was compared to the previous ones which felt more modern.
The story this time around is much more personal for Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) as you get to find out more about the hot shot detective in a very compelling way. The incredible chemistry between Smith & Lawrence is still as strong as ever and even though they are both older in their lives, they still know how to bring the laughs and the dramatic moments. Some familiar faces return to the movie such as Joe Pantoliano as Captain Howard (and his funny temper) along with Theresa Randle as Theresa Burnett who still keeps Marcus in check. When it comes to the new characters you have some pretty famous names if you familiar with Telenovelas.
First you have the famous Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo that plays Isabel Aretas who is a figure from Mike’s past. Along with Castillo you also have Paola Nunez who portrays a police officer who Mike tries to reconcile with that brings a fresh face to the series and has a commanding presence. Just like the other movies there are also some fun appearances from popular musical artist that are big in South Florida. Nicky Jam & DJ Khaled both show up in the film, but only one of them gets to have a fleshed out character surprisingly enough.
The action isn’t as intense as the type that the series is famous for, but you still have some good action nonetheless (just ignore the lack of traffic on the street in Miami). Despite a few noticeable moments of CGI that was a little bit distracting the action is very intense and well paced. Even though Will Smith (as expected) carries a majority of the action Martin Lawrence still gets moments to shine in those same sequences which was very well done. Overall this movie is very fun which is all you could ask for. Along with a tighter script and a focused emphasis on family and friendship, Bad Boys For Life is a satisfying conclusion to the franchise, while also leaving the window open for a continuation.
The Verdict