by Released : 2024-06-13
1. Bad Boys (1995)
The first and best of the franchise this film stood out from other buddy cop films due to its crass nature and excellent onscreen chemistry between the leads. The film that helped make Will Smith a star and his first blockbuster. Both Martin Lawrence and Will Smith were huge TV stars, but Lawrence had some film success before this. In fact, it was Martin Lawrence who was the bigger star than Will Smith back in 1995. He was paid more for the film as well as top billing during the promotions. Martin Lawrence was later offered Chris Tucker’s role in Rush Hour. At the time Lawrence was deemed as the “next Eddie Murphy '', and he continued to have box office success well into the early 2000s although never reached the popularity some thought he could. Flashforward to 2024 and this franchise is helping both stars stay relevant. Bad Boys was different than other buddy cop films in that it had no true straight man, both characters were unpredictable
2. Bad Boys For Life (2020)
It is hard to put Bad Boys 3 above 2, despite 2 having better action scenes. What sets Bad Boys 3 slightly above 2 is a great script that brings real emotional depth to this franchise. The twist with Mike Lowery’s son is excellent and the death of Joe Pantoliano is shocking. This film also contains the best villain in the franchise, great pacing, and a thrilling third act. Losing Michael Bay may have made some of the action worse, but the script improved because of it.
3. Bad Boys II (2003)
Bad Boys 2 has the highest budget of any of the other films and contains the best action scenes. What hurts the film is some bad pacing clocking in at nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes. Also the script at times makes the cartel villain convoluted and the last scene in Mexico drags However, the car chase scene with the Jamaicans and Gabrielle Union make Bad Boys 2 a blast.
4. Bad Boys Ride or Die (2024)
Bad Boys 4 proves that Will Smith’s career is far from over. With a 100 million+ box office opening this film revived the 2024 summer box office. Although the worst film in the franchise, there's still plenty of gas left in the tank for this duo. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still have insane chemistry, with Lawrence practically stealing the film due to a funny twist with his character. The film is well paced, but despite a heft budget some of the action scenes do look cheap. The film’s writing though help separates it from some generic action set pieces due to some tender moments in the film. Some of the action might be lacking or have too much CGi, but there are still some brisk action scenes as well. Overall an enjoyable buddy cop film that any fan of the franchise would enjoy. The film also has a bland villain.
