‘Bad Boys for Life’ worth the wait

23 Feb, 2020 - 00:02 0 Views
‘Bad Boys for Life’ worth the wait

The Sunday Mail

Tinashe Kusema
Film Review

HAVE you ever liked something so much, but for the life of you, could never put a finger on the reason why?

Well, that is pretty much how I feel about the long-awaited release of the Bad Boys movie “Bad Boys For Life”.

For the most part “Bad Boys For Life” was worth the wait, lived up to expectations and is a true testimony that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are truly one of the best big screen duo ever.

The film more or less picks up where the last release left off; as Mike Lowry (Smith) and Marcus Bennet (Lawrence) are still Miami’s resident heroes, chasing bad guys and cleaning up the streets.

Unfortunately, age is catching up with them as Bennet contemplates retiring, especially after welcoming his first grandchild, while Lowry refuses to grow up and vows to keep shooting bad guys and blowing things up.

The dynamic duo’s partnership goes awry when a ghost from Lowry’s past resurfaces, in the form of an old flame and the widow of a cartel boss, Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo).

Without giving out too much, Lowry gets shot, vows revenge and turns the entire city of Miami upside down in search of the shooter.

There are so many things to love about this movie — the most important being the nostalgic feeling. Most of the cast from the first two instalments return, led of course, by Smith and Lawrence, do a great job in their old roles.

Smith and Lawrence still have that chemistry that made their audiences fall in love with the franchise in the first place, and Joe Pantoliano still yells through most of the dialogue as Captain Conrad Howard.

There are cameo appearances from the entire Burnett family, which was a nice touch for continuity purposes. Also, the fact that Dennis Greene returns more mature and now married was shear gold.

You will remember him as the poor lad that Smith and Lawrence’s Marcus and Mike scare the living hell out of after he comes over “to take out Megan” during the second Bad Boys movie back in 2003.

Now, the only gripe I have with the movie is the absence of Michael Bay. Bay does make a cameo appearance, as a “blink-and-you-miss-it” wedding MC, but his absence in the director’s chair is felt.

Those familiar with the franchise will attest to the chases, explosions and gritty action sequences being part of the Bad Boys’ fabric, as well as the Smith and Lawrence’s humour and bickering. Stand-in directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah do a commendable job in trying to fill Bay’s shoes, but there can only be one Michael “freaking” Bay.

For those that doubt my assertion, I refer you to any of his movies or the gem that is 2019’s “6 Underground”. Adil and Fallah lacked that flair which only Bay brings to movies.

That said, the one leg-up that “Bad Boys For Life” has over its predecessors is that it finally gives us a credible antagonist.

Tchéky Karyo’s acting chops saved Fouchet in the first movie. While Jordi Molla’s Hector Tapia was as entertaining as hell, it lacked substance in the second movie.

Both lacked a proper backstory that linked them or puts them at odds with our heroes. In Castillo’s Isabel Aretas, we finally have a villain worthy of the name.

She is vulnerable yet menacing, has clear motives directly linked to our hero and Castillo does a great job in the acting department.

Her henchman and son Amando Aretas (Jacob Scipio) does most of the heavy lifting in terms of action sequences and stunts, which leaves room for Castillo to spread her wings and really dive into her role.

To quote Robert Downey Jnr’s Kirk Lazarus from the 2008 comedy gem that was “Tropic Thunder”, Castillo “goes full retard” and we should consider ourselves blessed to bear witness to it.

Share This:

Survey


We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds