Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Directed by Adil and Bilall, Bad Boys: Ride or Die follows Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett as they’re forced to take the law into their own hands after their deceased captain (Joe Pantoliano’s Conrad Howard) is implicated in a corruption scheme. There’s little doubt, ultimately, that Bad Boys: Ride or Die falls right in line with its three partially watchable yet mostly lackluster predecessors, as the movie, which runs a palpably bloated 115 minutes, has been saddled with exactly the sort of less-than-enthralling attributes that have come to define this underwhelming series – including unfunny, strained bits of humor and a series of hopelessly uninvolving and slick action sequences. (The latter is especially problematic given that Adil and Bilall have infused such stretches with a wildly over-the-top sensibility that drains them of their energy and excitement (and coherence).) And while the picture admittedly does boast a small handful of compelling interludes, with this particularly true of an entertainingly violent set-piece transpiring inside Marcus’ house, Bad Boys: Ride or Die builds towards a flashy climax that does, like everything preceding it, have its moments but is generally disappointing and ineffective – with the end result an almost watchable misfire that squanders its few positive elements (including a solid supporting turn by Eric Dane as the moustache-twirling villain).

** out of ****