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Critics have seen Bad Boys 4 (properly titled Ride or Die) and are giving their first reactions. The fourth installment in the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence-led franchise proves it's stronger than ever.
What is it about?
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the franchise. The duo of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who directed Bad Boys For Life in 2020, returned for the sequel. Chris Bremner and Will Beall co-wrote the script together.
Adil and Bilall first gained notoriety for their early films Image, Black, and Gangsta. After directing the third Bad Boys film, they directed Rebel. Additionally, they directed the first and final episode of Ms. Marvel and served as executive producers of the MCU Disney+ series.
In the film, Mike (Will Smith) and Miles (Martin Lawrence) are back in action. They are entangled in a conspiracy after their late captain, Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano), is accused of being involved with the Romanian Mafia. This makes the duo fugitives on the run and they have to work outside of the law to clear their names as well as Howard's.
Aside from Smith and Lawrence Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Eric Dane, and Paola Núnez also star in the film. Ioan Gruffudd, Jacob Scipio, and Melanie Liburd also appear in the film. Lorna Balfe (Top Gun: Maverick) composed the score.
Bad Boys 4 held its world premiere on May 22 at Coco-Cola Arena in Dubai. The film will be released on June 7 in the United States by Sony Pictures.
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Bad Boys 4 first reactions
The consensus from the first reactions of Bad Boys: Ride or Die seems to be overwhelmingly positive. Critics are praising Smith and Lawrence's latest adventure and the action.
Eric Goldman kicks things off as he “loved” the film. He compared it to the Fast and Furious franchise's Fast Five, which reinvented the series.
“Hah, I loved Bad Boys: Ride or Die?! This feels like the Fast Five of Bad Boys, where after several films, the series has become what it's meant to be,” their reaction began. “Awesome, cleverly shot action, super fun set pieces, and silly soap opera plot points that add to the good times. I was into it!”
To take things one step further, Junior Felix said that Bad Boys 4 “is hands down one of the best ACTION films in the past few years.”
For Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky, Bad Boys 4 exceeded expectations. They even went as far as to say that it may be their favorite film in the franchise. “It's corny and ridiculous, but also a whole lot of fun,” they praised. “While it's a tad too long, it does a good job of keeping you entertained throughout.” They also added that the cinematography, which was done by Robrecht Heyvaert, is a “trip.”
Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture closes things out. The reaction praised Bad Boys 4 as an amalgamation of the greatest hits of the last three films that ties everything together. It still is the least favorite of the four for Neglia, “but it still has its fun moments between Smith & Lawrence to remind us why so many fell in love with these over-the-top ridiculous films in the first place.”
Bad Boys: Ride or Die will be released on June 7.
