BAD BOYS FOR LIFE

Release Date: Malaysia, 23 Jan 2020

Genre: Action

Running Length: 2:05

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Joe Pantoliano, Paola Nunez, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Jacob Scipio

Director: Adil El Arbi, Billal Fallah

Screenplay: Chris Bremmer and Peter Craig and Joe Carnahan

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back. This time round, the buddy-buddy duo cops involuntarily got themselves involved with the Mexican gangsters led by a mother and son team. The long and short of it, they want Mike dead.

I really hated what Michael Bay did with Bad Boys II almost 18 years ago. I enjoyed the first Bad Boys movie but Michael Bay really turned on his Bayhem for the sequel. It was too long, the humour was offensive, the violence was gratuitous and the directing was pompous. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. 

So when the 3rd one was released recently after almost two decades, I was hesitant to watch it especially after its unexciting trailer. 

But I'm glad to say it was...OK. Let's just say the story justifies bringing back these characters. Although it looks and feels like a Michael Bay movie; the rolling on the ground in slow motion and the signature camera circling our two heroes, directors Adil and Billal managed to successfully craft out something they can proudly call their own.

Thank God the action scenes are coherent and the amount of violence is just...nice (?). There is enough room to breathe from one action scene to another. 

The chemistry between Smith and Lawrence felt a little rusty in the beginning but over the course of the movie, they were their Bad Boys self again. 

The filmmakers also did something fresh with the villain this time. In the last two movies, the villains were forgettable, but for part 3, they managed to tie in the villain with Mike's character. As a result, I could feel that the stakes were higher this round and we get to know Will Smith's character better. 

All in all, it was entertaining enough for me to want to go another round with these boys if they are ever going to ride again. 

RATING: 7/10