Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth entry in the Bad Boys franchise, brings back Will Smith & Martin Lawrence in their respective roles as Detectives Mike Lowrey & Marcus Burnett. Directors Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah also return from taking over directing duties from the previous entry. The latest entry in the franchise follows Lowrey & Burnett, who are attempting to clear the name of their late Captain, Conrad Howard, after he is falsely accused of conspiracy. The film has a large ensemble cast consisting of returning cast members, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Jacob Scipio, and Joe Pantoliano, with new cast members including Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, and Tiffany Haddish.

I can’t say that I was excited at all for the newest entry in the franchise. The last one, if they made a few tweaks, could have been an awesome finale. I was a lot more excited for that entry, because it had been 17 years since the last entry. This time around, between the film wrapping production just a few months before the film’s release & the trailer giving away so much, I really could care less. To my surprise, I am always happy to be proven wrong when a film like this remains consistent in quality. The jolt in the box office that the film has made certainly surprised me. I was sure it wasn’t going to do well, only because I am tired of the machine pumping out entries to make a buck. However, I am glad to see this doing well at the box office, because one, it is a good movie, and two, we needed this movie to help the box office.

The film has the same qualities that made the previous entry so unique. Real, emotional stakes and going hard on the action. The action has always been there with the franchise, but the emotional stakes are a bit of a new aspect that is working for the latest films. The film opens up similarly to the last where Mike is speeding through Miami. Last time it was Marcus trying to get to the hospital. This time around, the duo is speeding through Miami to get to Mike’s wedding. Instead of immediately getting to the wedding, Marcus is begging to stop and get food. You’d think this scene wouldn’t be necessary, yet it happens to enhance the story for what’s to come.

Within minutes, we learn that Marcus now has health issues that are preventing him from eating his favorite foods. Mike is also in a hurry, because he needs to get to his wedding. The scene ends with both Mike and Marcus taking down a wannabe robber. We’ve seen this sort of reintroduction when it comes to sequels. This time, I really admire how it felt purposeful to give us an idea as to where the characters are in their life. The new directors, Adil & Bilall, have injected new life into the franchise that make the characters feel much more grounded, while remaining faithful to what worked in the past.

That’s perhaps the best way to explain the rest of the film. While the film stays true with the tone of what was established nearly 30 years ago, it’s nearly every moment in the film where it all feels meaningful. From the character development that the main characters go through to the stand out scenes from the side characters, the new director duo team are able to enhance the quality of the film.

While watching the film, I can’t say there was a particular aspect that was 100% flawed. The writing continues to be better than ever, and that’s also where the film has its flaws. As much as I love the development with all of the characters, the film still relies on the past a little bit too much. It can rely on tropes that we have seen far too many times before. It’s clear that if the film hasn’t been rushed, the quality would have greatly enhanced. For what we got though, I still don’t mind it.

As mentioned, I love the character development in the film. Mike’s PTSD allows Will Smith to portray an accurate representation of what a panic attack looks like. Even though Smith could have leaned into it more, I appreciate the film tackling how human these characters are. That also applies to Marcus, who is one of the MVP’s. His journey allows him to really lean into the ridiculousness his character has been on, while playing more in the action.

I don’t want to give much away with the side characters, but the directors know how to utilize them for the most part. There is one particular side character who is the other MVP of the movie. I won’t spoil who or what it is. When you see it, you’ll know. As much as the directors lean more into the stories of the side characters, I also think had the film not rushed, it could explore these characters further to make it more fleshed out.

Including the credits, the film stands at 115 minutes. It’s one of the shorter films in the franchise, yet there is so much that happens in the film, and I’m convinced how they can make it happen. The film’s editing is consistently cutting back and forth between different shots. It can be jarring, but I can see why the decision was made. It gives a real blockbuster feel that gets straight to the point.

Aside from the character development, the film also manages to hit the jokes quite well. Some are not great, because the writing is also trying to cater to the style of the originals a bit too much. That’s not a bad thing if you are a fan from day one, but if the film wants to continue to live on beyond this entry, I hope there’s still time to help them fully embrace the future. There’s only so many times where we can see these characters get older before we truly can’t believe that they are still doing this. For that reason alone, I hope we can get a conclusive ending to the franchise if this isn’t the last one.

Even though the writing does give us more to care about with these characters, there are also choices that are made to help them get there that I don’t totally agree with. I think they could have been handled better, but when you have cinematography like this, it’s hard to complain about much else.

The cinematography in the film continues to push the boundaries of present day technology. We get drone shots that fully immerse you in the environment of its set pieces. We also get some wonderful camera shots that stay on characters for quite a while. I wouldn’t say they are one take shots, so I do wish they leaned a bit more into that. There’s also an amazing first-person scene that is a game changer. It makes these types of films integral to modern filmmakers and how they can utilize the same technology.

Overall, if you know what kind of movie you are getting yourself into, I think you’re going to get a little bit of that, plus a lot more, even if certain aspects don’t always land. Much like the previous entry, this one is consistent in its action set pieces, but double downs on the emotion that gives us more to care about. If they can remain this quality for another one, I’d say why not. I just want to see an actual conclusion to this versus something going on its own terms.

VERDICT: Pretty Good