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It’s been almost 25 years since Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teamed up for Michael Bay’s action comedy Bad Boys—and nearly 17 years since Bad Boys II. But while they may not be as young and hip as they once were, that didn’t stop them from teaming up for another case in Bad Boys for Life.
Bad Boys for Life catches up with Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) as the past comes back to haunt them. Now a new grandfather, Marcus is ready to retire and move on to the next stage in his life, but Mike has no intention of slowing down. When a mysterious motorcyclist in black begins killing people in Miami’s criminal justice circles—and he takes aim at Mike—Mike jumps into the investigation, struggling to deal with a new brand of young detectives. But Marcus wants no part of Mike’s plans for revenge.
Sure, it’s been a long, long time since Smith and Lawrence raced together through the streets of Miami. And unless you’re a big fan of the series—and dust off your old copies out somewhat regularly and rewatch them—you’ve probably forgotten most of what happened in the first two installments. But it doesn’t take long for the two stars to remind you why you enjoyed watching them all those years ago. They settle right back into their banter: Smith as the impulsive playboy (who, somehow, hasn’t aged at all in the last quarter century) and Lawrence as the cautious family man who keeps his partner in check. It’s the usual buddy cop pairing, but they make the relationship feel relatively effortless.
Times have changed for these two, and while the personalities are the same, they find themselves facing some major changes. The story touches on those changes in all aspects of their life and work without playing it up too much. They may be used to storming their way onto the scene, ready to shoot first and ask questions later, but they end up working with a high-tech unit that uses research and analysis and drones to do the leg work. And as Marcus settles into retired life as a Pop-Pop, Mike is forced to work with a colleague who’s a lot like his younger self.
Meanwhile, the characters and the comedy come together for another big, over-the-top action movie. The story may not always feel solid, but it’s noisy and explosive and sometimes surprisingly violent, with plenty of shootouts and high-speed chases involving expensive cars and motorcycles and even a few helicopters. And it makes a fun-filled escape from the winter blahs.
Bad Boys for Life is far from the typical January release. It’s funny and action-packed and perfectly brainless. Whether you loved the earlier movies in the series or you’re just in the mood for something big and loud, it’s worth venturing out to your favorite theater.
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