For Fans Of The Series, Bad Boys For Life Proves To Be Worth The Wait

      The 2020 cinematic year gets off to a surprisingly strong start with a critically acclaimed box office smash hit, that doesn't happen to be a comic book-oriented film. Instead the film happens to be a sequel 17 years in the making to a popular buddy cop franchise, that was essentially thought of to be fun films yet throwaway entertainment ultimately. The first Bad Boys film didn't exactly blow away the box office when it was first released in 1995, but it was significant due to it launching the careers of both Will Smith, who at the time was best known for starring in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, as well as the film marking the directorial debut of action filmmaker Michael Bay. The latter became a name that most film scholars as well as film historians looked upon with disdain towards. While the first Bad Boys was an enjoyable action flick which played off the popular Lethal Weapon style formula that was successful at the time, Bad Boys ll despite achieving greater box office success, didn't quite get the same kind of acclaim that the first Bad Boys got. In order to bring audiences back to the Bad Boys franchise and make it successful, the new pair of directors as well as the reteaming of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, had to bring back the chemistry which made the first two films so successful, while adding a new style to the series that involved a story that fans can get behind. Whereas Bay previously helmed the first two Bad Boys films, the blockbuster director stepped away from the series allowing newcomers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah the opportunity to step in and breathe new life into the franchise, that's span the course of nearly three decades. The end result is a film that not only entertains audiences by delivering solid popcorn entertainment, but also manages to be surprising in terms of it's overall quality. Bad Boys For Life is not only a superior film to Bad Boys ll, it manages to be the most well-made and satisfying installment in the popular series thus far with the absence of Michael Bay in the directors chair playing a significant role in the franchises upgrade in quality.

      The story for Bad Boys For Life takes place years after the events of Bad Boys ll with Detective Marcus Burnett (Played by Martin Lawrence) now a grandfather, being in the early stages of retirement with his life friend and partner Mike Lawrey (Played by Will Smith) being targeted on a hit list by a mother and son run criminal team. After surviving a drive by motorcycle shooting that nearly killed Lawrey, he begins a pursuit with the help of Marcus in both tracking down the people who tried to take him out. With the making of a third Bad Boys film, the filmmakers as well as the main stars knew that they could only return to the popular franchise if they had a proper story which evolved the characters from the events of the previous film. One of the main common criticisms the previous films got outside of them being extremely fun to watch, is that their respective stories lacked enough substance to make them hit home with their respective themes pertaining to friendship, loyalty, and brotherhood. The first Bad Boys was essentially Lethal Weapon with the two main cops being forced to protect a witness while swapping identities. While it didn't carry the greatest nor most innovative plot for an action movie at the time, it played on a well-established and already successful buddy cop formula that was booming during the 1990's era, which was later preceeded by the Rush Hour series. The first Bad Boys worked because of the outstanding chemistry between Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Tea Leoni with Smith being a fresh face on the cusp of becoming a movie star. Their chemistry along with Bay's fast-cut and kinetic action style of directing, proved to be a dynamic teaming that paid off resulting in a film that's now become a cult classic. Bad Boys ll took everything that audiences loved about the first Bad Boys and gave them more in excessive amounts. The action went from being well-executed to insanely-styled with adrenaline fueled sequences which included freeway chases and car crashes, that gave instant flashbacks to The Blues Brothers. The story was paper thin but the film had enough action and the strong chemistry of it's main leads to make up for it's shortcomings. With Bad Boys For Life, the film feels like it was made with the utmost love for the franchise while adding more substance to the story. Although the series high-octane action sequences remain, the film takes a deeper and more emotional approach with it's story regarding themes that pertain to aging, friendship, love, and finding ones true path in life. Bad Boys For Life may be the third film in the series, but it genuinely fits as being a much better version of Bad Boys ll then it's predecessor. Everything about the new film feels like an upgrade from the previous film with the story staying true to the characters with the overall look of the franchise getting a makeover with a style that mixes Bad Boys with doses of the Fast And Furious, and Mission Impossible franchises. It wasn't the makeover for the franchise that fans asked for, but it was the one that was needed in order to successfully bring it into today's generation.

      One of the key elements that makes Bad Boys For Life work is the outstanding chemistry that both Smith and Lawrence bring to the big screen. The main performers work so well together, that they genuinely feel like their characters friendship never skipped a beat in between the films. Smith and Lawrence are on top form here adding more depth to their characters, which can be largely contributed to a much stronger script this time around. They bring with them the same chemistry that they introduced 24 years prior with no indication that its fading away anytime soon. The two leads clearly enjoy being on screen together and genuinely care about their characters, ultimately making the experience more fun. The returning supporting characters from the previous two films also shine with Joe Pantoliano reprising his role as Mike and Marcus chief Capt. Harris. Pantoliano's character has a more developed and pivotal role in this film compared to the previous two movies with his character being both funny, as well as serving as a mentor/father figure to the two detectives. The filmmakers did a really good job of showing the relationship between the three main characters in terms of growth with Harris character shown to clearly be fond of Mike and Marcus despite being tough on them when necessary. Theresa Randle returns as Marcus wife Theresa Burnett. Although her character doesn't have as much to do development wise as the rest of the main cast, her return is a welcomed addition to the cast. As far as the new entries go with the Bad Boys For Life ensemble, Smith and Lawrence team shines with Vanessa Hudgens impressing as Kelly, Alexander Ludwig as Dorn with his role having a fun character arc, Charles Melton as Rafe, and Paola Nunez as both the teams leader and Mike's love interest Rita. As for the films main antagonists, Kate del Castillo shines as Isabel with Jacob Scipio delivering one of the films standout performances as Isabel's son Armando. Not only is his character well-skilled and effective as an antagonist to the main characters along with Isabel, his character arc remains one of the films strongest points. One of the main appealing aspects of the Bad Boys franchise has always been its collection of impressive yet diverse actors and actresses, that surround the characters of Mike and Marcus. Bad Boys For Life proves to be no exception as the main ensemble cast not only work together as a whole but are fun, exciting, and appealing to watch (Particularly Mike and Marcus team for example). The addition of the younger actors definitely gives the story a SWAT feel to it mixed with a style similar of Fast And Furious with the actors adding more flavor to the story.

      The films directing by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah proves to be a dynamic team up, that works in terms of effectively reinvigorating the franchise. The young filmmakers manage to keep the style consistent with the previous two Bad Boys films in regards to the films exotic Miami settings and lighting with them delivering their own form of kinetic action and energy to the plot. The way the film is shot almost makes one think that Michael Bay is still in the directors chair with the main difference being the level of emotion that's brought to the story. Directors Arbi and Fallah do an impressive job of balancing the films moments of humor with the action and dramatic scenes. The latter doesn't come in short supply as the filmmakers present enough action to keep the story moving despite it's steady pace with the film clocking in at 124 minutes. The film never feels like it stalls, but takes enough time to develop the story and introduce the new team whom become attached to Mike and Marcus. Having Bay step back as director and allowing younger filmmakers with a new vision take control of the franchise, was a gamble that ultimately pays off as the new film is not only well-crafted but brings a fresh and energetic feel to the series, that was needed in order for it to continue to be successful. The new filmmakers are clearly fans of the franchise as they work the previous two films into the narrative with numerous callbacks to them, most notably the return of the first films main theme music which was originally composed by Mark Mancina. With Bad Boys For Life,
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah bring the characters and action back to the big screen in a way that feels brand new with action that's loud, exciting, and hard to take ones eyes off the screen with a narrative that keeps everything grounded in reality.

      One of the films greatest strengths that proves to be most surprising is the amount of substance and depth the screenplay carried in comparison to the first two Bad Boys films. The script for Bad Boys For Life written by Chris Bremner, Peter Craig, and Joe Carnahan does a notable job of placing heavy emphasis on the fact that the main characters have aged since the previous film, with them facing that reality while questioning whether they continue to be Bad Boys or hang it up. Another aspect of the script that differentiates it from the other films is the enhancement of the character growth between Smith and Lawrence's characters with Captain Harris getting a key role in the story, that makes him feel like a father type figure to Mike. Out of the three Bad Boys films, this one carries the most drama out of all the films with certain scenes and moments that will not only shock the audience, but make them feel emotional at times. The writers do a very good job of moving the legacy of the franchise forward while making audiences get really invested with both the story and characters in this film. Giving the film a revenge type plot along with the targeting of Smith's character by the films antagonists, was a clever way to strengthen the roles of the two main characters in terms of being best friends along with raising the stakes this time around. The films big plot twist in the third act is handled in a way that's believable and doesn't feel forced on the audience. The third Bad Boys is essentially what Mission Impossible 3 was to that series or what Fast Five was to The Fast And Furious franchise, it continues the story while giving the franchise a proper makeover both in terms of action and story that makes it evolve while feeling brand new. The biggest surprise with the new film is the fact that underneath the bullets, the explosions, and jokes, the story has a heart. The jokes between Smith and Lawrence land for the most part with the humor being raw and edgy like the first Bad Boys with the film avoiding some of the forced humor from Bad Boys ll such as the scene involving the two mices having sex, or the truck carrying dead bodies being opened with bodies being tossed on windshields and later driven over on the freeway. The writers manage to incorporate all the ingredients that made the first two films successful while emphasizing the themes of friendship, family, teamwork, revenge, and driving home the realization that age catches up to everyone.

     What could've easily ended up being another forgettable sequel in the franchise surprisingly turns out to be one that carries with it a sizable amount of substance to it largely thanks to its script and filmmakers, who successfully make the case for taking the franchise out in a broader direction with the main actors still intact. That's isn't to say that the new film is not without it's small share of flaws (Not all of the jokes land, moments that can come across as being surprise twists or meant to be can feel a tad cliched), but in terms of the craftsmanship of the new filmmakers being demonstrated along with expanding on the buddy cop aspect of the franchise, it does a very good job of bringing the characters as well as the series into today's world while paying homage to the previous films. As a Bad Boys film, the movie stays true to the formula that made the first two films work with audiences, but takes the main characters and establishes a new team that makes everything more fun and exiting. Every characters screentime in the film is properly utilized for that person to have his or her moment to shine in the story. The family and friendship themes feels stronger and more poignant as the drama is enhanced to go toe to toe with the films action. The end result is an entertaining experience that will genuinely surprise many fans of the series with the level of quality the new film carries, along with introducing newer fans to the series with how the story can work on its own without much requirement to see the previous two films. Bad Boys For Life is the sequel that fans of the series have been waiting for with it not only being vastly superior to the second film, but laying down a pretty serious claim of being the best installment in the series thus far. With plans to make a fourth Bad Boys film underway with the same directors expressing interest in returning, one looks to the future of the series with optimism as the strategy of giving the franchise an unwanted yet highly effective makeover proves to be a success both on and off the screen. Bad Boys For Life is a sequel that is much better than it has any right to be, serving as being the first satisfying moviegoing event of 2020 while opening the door to what looks to be a promising year of hugely satisfying tentpole releases.

Final Verdict: For fans of Bad Boys 1 and 2, Bad Boys For Life will please, entertain, and surprise them with it's quality while making them wait with anticipation for the next one. Just don't take another 17 years to make it.