Hey, Will Smith finally did a flick people cared about!
Yep, times haven't been as rosy as the nineties or 2000s were for the Fresh Prince--after all, did anyone in the world care about Gemini Man? Anyone? Or the recent animated one where he turns into a pigeon, and also keeps having its title slip from my brain every time I try to think about it? Well, that's changed with a new instalment in the Bad Boys series, a mere seventeen years after the Bayhem extravaganza that was the second film. Bay himself has been replaced by Belgian director duo Arbi and Bilal, but otherwise, most of the old cast returns. So, does it deliver?
Well, it doesn't have the same ludicrous scale of destruction the second one did, wherein half of Cuba was destroyed in a very drawn-out climax. And it doesn't have the implication that this world spins on its axis approximately every seven minutes to drench every shot in shampoo commercial style sunset. But it makes up for that with an attempt at an actual emotional core, and a plot that tries at least somewhat to be more than a demolition derby with some stuff about a drug dealer connecting the post-it note script.
Still apparently making a habit of tearing up Miami every five minutes in sports cars, buddy cops Mike and Miles (Smith and Martins) are starting to feel their oncoming middle age, with Miles pining for retirement. Unfortunately, a crazed cartel crime lady (Paola Nunez) sticks her lethally trained son and enforcer (Jacob Scipio) onto a killing spree on the Floridan streets, straining our heroes' relationship. I assumed Nunez's character was from the first film, of which I have caught a few glimpses on TV, but apparently not. In any case, the cops team up with a high-tech team of younger officers, and thankfully, the film largely strays away from obnoxious jokes about millennials in the process.
The new side-cast was as such surprisingly enjoyable to watch, and while you've still got the usual dumb jokes and over the top action, for what it was, it did the job fine. Action-wise, there were a few moments of dodgy CG and some composition that looked more like a music video, but you've got the right balance of shootouts, fistfights, and vehicular mayhem. This time, compared to Bay, (who does appear in a cameo, probably confused as to why the scene isn't on fire and lauding the US military), there's also just enough drama to keep me actually invested--and as such, it didn't feel like my rear end was about to drop off by the climax like with the second.
Indeed, by the climax, I was happy to say that Smith was showing off some of the range that made him such a star in the first place. It's not quite all hijinks and one-liners from him, and when his character turns serious, I have to say, I bought it.
So, if you fancy some dumb action and cop comedy, with Smith and Lawrence on their game again...yeah, this one'll do. It does feel somewhat like they're trying to set up some spinoffs with younger and hipper actors, but we'll see what comes of that. And, if nothing else, it shows that the regent of Bel-Air can still pull it off if he comes back to what he does best, over whichever gimmickry gets pitched to him next.
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