BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (2020) *** ½

Well, the Bad Boys aren’t exactly boys anymore, are they?  That’s actually the good news in this surprisingly strong belated sequel.  While the first two Bad Boys movies have their moments, they are, by and large, loud and obnoxious.  Kind of like the main characters themselves.  I’m glad to report that bad boys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have matured into their roles nicely, and the film itself is far less abrasive than the previous Michael Bay-directed installments. 

While Smith is out helping Lawrence celebrate the birth of his grandson, he is shot during a drive-by shooting.  The gunman is the son of a drug kingpin who is motivated by revenge (Smith killed his daddy) and a domineering mother.  After a lengthy recovery, Smith is itching for some payback, but Lawrence, unwilling to see Smith in a hospital again (or worse) turns in his badge and retires.  It’s then up to Smith to take down the villains alone.

Smith and Lawrence have never been better together.  Their dramatic scenes are what give the movie its unexpected power.  I’m not saying this is a Logan deal or anything, but the movie has a lot to say about confronting growing old, and even death.  Lawrence is particularly strong during his moving speech where he reveals to Smith he has retired.  Who knew underneath all the decades of tomfoolery there was a serious actor waiting to get out?  (That said, he still gets a number of big laughs throughout the film.)  Smith is equally fine and does a terrific job in his solo scenes where he briefly ditches his partner and sets out on the road to revenge solo.

The new directors, Adil and Bilall wisely tone down some of the more Michael Bay-centric qualities while still making it feel like part of the traditional Bad Boys universe.  In fact, the opening scene pokes a little fun at the conventions of the series, and Bay’s trademark camerawork, which lets the audience know up front that this one is going to be a little different.  The action is impressive too.  Adil and Bilall know how to film action without resorting to the shaky-cam bullshit, and reserve the slow-motion for the big hero moments.  Although the big finale is a bit hard to swallow, it’s not enough to derail the movie or anything.  That said, the rest of the action sequences throughout the film are aces.  I especially enjoyed the chase scene featuring a motorcycle with a machine gun-mounted sidecar that made me simultaneously think of The Dark Knight AND Duck Soup.

My only real gripe is the title.  Bad Boys for Life?  This is the third movie in the series.  Shouldn’t they have named this one Bad Boys 3 and called the next one Bad Boys 4 Life?  Do I have to think of everything, Hollywood?