j* movie reviews 2020

Bad Boys (#3) For Life (2020)

Whatcha gonna do?

I mean you know you're going to see it, or you're not. The CandyBar kid gave this rad "not again" eyeroll-type face when we started singing in our worst "bad boys, bad boys" work. And we talked about how sick of bad renditions those Candy Bar kids must be, and that from their perspective it's all daggy parentals (like parental aged people) doing it and we're really just like those car ads with Salt'n'Peppa. Then we saw the older guy ripping tickets and we all just sang it together. Because whatcha gonna do?

There are a heap of "getting older" jokes in this, which is to be expected. There is an awful lot of action... like really loud bombastic action. It's not quite Bayhem, but it's close - eagle eyed fans of Michael Bay will spot his cameo and nudge everyone they can and excitedly hiss "that's Michael Bay!" Well, I mean that's what I did. And for those not in the know, Michael Bay directed the first Bad Boys. In fact, he's widely credited with "inventing" Will Smith as a movie star through the first film. There are heaps of weird articles about it. That's an aside. Bay's in it, it feels right, cute role.

There are all the silly cop-buddy comedy moments. All the same jokes that seemed fresh back in the Fresh Prince era circa 1995. We still go it, my 40/50 year old friends. We don't, but we'll just keep pretending. And that's kind of the by-line of this whole film. Life rolls on. Homies keep rolling.

The trailer really doesn't give any glimpses of plot, which is kinda fascinating. But lets face it, we're all going for the repeated opportunities to sing the song. But the plot is quite strange and intense bringing both a jailbreaking witch and, eventually, a massive chapter of backstory. Usually I'd just be all throwing spoilers left right and centre, that's my MO. But here, well, I really think if you ever liked Bad Boys you should go and see this. Because a) witchy-poo whackness and b) holey-moley what a weird backstory and c) probable future direction that's even stranger?

I really liked the "AMMO" team of younger, sassy cops. They reminded me a lot of the crew from S.W.A.T., which is a really under-appreciated film in this genre of cops-be-cool. Honestly I'd be happy watching a whole new film just based on these AMMO kids and all their complex, hilarious, smooth-talking ways. Hopefully they'll be in the next one.

If you have no priors with the Bad Boys, I'm not sure this could land. But I do, I have a lot of priors. So I dug it, in the way you might dig a school reunion if it was only the fun kids you want to see and you didn't have to talk to anyone. It's pretty slick action.

J* gives it 4 stars.