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Acting
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Directing
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Story
Starring: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Téa Leoni
Director: Michael Bay
Running Time: 119 mins
Bad Boys is an American film about two Miami police officers who are tasked with protecting a key witness while hunting down a criminal gang that stole impounded heroin from their police department.
A fantastic blend of charismatic comedy and hard-hitting action, Bad Boys is as slick and entertaining as cop movies come. Neither is it too silly nor too explosive, the film soars thanks to an exciting plot and irresistible chemistry between leads Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
In that, there’s a lot of fun to be had with Bad Boys, from its slick and rapid-fire action to its great comedy, but what really makes things tick is the dynamic duo at the centre of it all.
A hilarious odd couple, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have brilliant back and forth throughout, with their characters’ countless contrasts working in tandem with their unbreakable bond in partnership to fantastic effect.
As a result, not only do we get two hours of charismatic and funny sparring, but also real, likable character intrigue, as the two attempt to get to grips with one anothers’ lives when the going gets tough in their investigation.
Alongside supporting player Téa Leoni (who is also a lot of fun to watch), the bizarre identity-swapping farce that Smith and Lawrence find themselves in is a gold mine for hilarious gags, leaving me laughing all the way through.
But at the same time, that premise opens the door for really impressive character reflection that turns Bad Boys into a far more layered and interesting film than you’d ever expect at the start.
And with likable, engaging and entertaining lead characters, there’s never a dull moment with this movie. Sure, some of its biggest gags may be a little far-fetched, and its crime story doesn’t quite feature the same engaging narrative as the story of Smith and Lawrence’s friendship, but Bad Boys proves an effortlessly charismatic and entertaining watch nonetheless.
When it comes to the action, the film does an equally good job at giving you a good time, both in the form of slick, high-stakes and fast-paced thrills and spills, as well as a rather more gritty vibe that puts our leads right in the line of fire.
The action here, while not too over-the-top, has real gravitas to it, making you fear for the detectives and support them all the way to the finish. In that, Bad Boys isn’t a silly, throwaway buddy cop movie by any means, but a genuinely entertaining and properly action-packed thriller.
Its hilarious comedy and effortless charisma is a delight throughout, and will certainly make you laugh a lot. However, when paired up with a captivating, exciting and massively entertaining action plot, Bad Boys is really great fun from beginning to end, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.6 overall.
