Bad Boys II (2003) - 7/10
This movie is a complete and utter mess of pure Bayhem-level indulgence. Every aspect of this is nonsensical, over-the-top, and seemingly unaware of itself. And yet... I am here for it. I don't care about its 23% Rotten Tomatoes score, or its middling reception with audiences. I don't care that one critic (accurately) described it by saying, "Bad Boys II isn't just bad — it's a catastrophic violation of every aspect of cinema that I, as a film critic, hold dear." And I'm not going to go the contrarian route and claim that critics “just don't get it” or are too pretentious to acknowledge this type of action film. I think they are right. I also think this is unadulterated, turn-your-brain-off, blockbustery blockbusterness that works more than it has any right to. But let's jump into the rubric and break it down a bit more.
1. Acting
This film relies heavily on its two main leads to make things work. Luckily, the duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence bring an unabashed brazenness that works in both comedic and more serious moments. I could try to consider the two actors separately, but their combination is so reliant on each other that the whole thing would unravel if you were to remove one. So while both actors bring their own flair to Mike and Marcus, it is really the chemistry that stands out as remarkable. And although this movie has some great bits and jokes on the page, the delivery of those lines is what tends to elevate them. All of this is a messy way of saying that I think this movie would have been an abject failure without them and is a credit to the versatility of Smith and Lawrence.
Outside of the leads, the supporting cast is solid but not particularly memorable. The two main things I noted were a fairly random cameo of Michael Shannon as a white supremacist turned snitch, and the very on-point return of Joe Pantoliano as the hilariously short-tempered police captain forced to put up with Marcus and Mike.
2. Cinematography
I don't generally love Michael Bay's editing style, but I don't think I can justify outright dismissing this film as poorly shot. In fact, I like a lot of the compositions, and there are some great camera movements in this film. It is also wildly ambitious at times with its action sequences — unrealistic though they may be. Point being, I think you can parse out some of the film’s visual strengths from what ultimately gets put onto the screen.
Starting with the color palette and lighting, I don't think we will find any deeper meanings in anything here, but the vibrancy and saturation levels fit the Miami-based setting well. Tonally, it also feels fitting. The unserious nature of the plot wouldn't feel right in more natural or realistic lighting or color styles, and thus everything looks coherent for what the movie is.
As for the camera itself, we get treated to some highly energetic shot selections with a clear sense of style. It may be more spectacle than substance, but in this context it works. Perhaps the best example is during the initial car chase scene within the first 30 minutes of the film. This sequence, which spans over 10 minutes, features multiple gunfights, car chases, explosions, and no shortage of vehicular carnage, including flipping, exploding, and decimating numerous cars and even a boat. It is a ridiculous compilation of events but features some excellent camera work and intense imagery.
But not every moment of the film has the Bayhem turned up to 10. In smaller instances we get simpler and maybe even cooler shots. For example, during a shootout with Haitian gang members, we get treated to a continuous sweeping 360-degree shot where the camera moves around the outskirts of multiple rooms, even moving through walls and showing the standoff occurring from multiple perspectives. It's all style and little substance, but it is incredibly engaging imagery.
3. Production/Costume Design
Apart from making sure the characters look good throughout the film — especially Mike — the costume department seems to have really embraced the Miami aesthetic and the opulence it can elicit. With that said, the real highlight for this film is the production (or really destruction) of all the sets. The amount of cars exploding, squibs being fired, fake guns needed, and everything else really shows a commitment to doing a lot of practical action. There is a lot of CGI being used here, but the props, stunt, and set teams really carried the load. Their efforts are not wasted because everything looks great (even when it's silly).
4. Writing
This is obviously where the film suffers the most and where most detractors immediately point when criticizing it. Both this film and its predecessor are notorious examples of scripts that underwent hellish writing processes. In fact, in the 8 years between the release of the original film and this film, no fewer than 20 writers were attached to the project in various capacities, from simple punch-ups to complete rewrites. There are even some surprising names in there, including Judd Apatow (with assistance from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg), Tony Gilroy, and Academy Award–winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland.
As for what exactly is wrong with the screenplay — it's really not that bad, all things considered. It may have been written by committee in the end, but I don't really find it much less coherent than other similarly natured action movies like The Expendables or a Fast and Furious offering. What I imagine critics are picking up on is that the script doesn't really offer anything of substance. It mostly boils down to two supposed friends yelling at each other and watching them bounce around from plot point to plot point as a not-particularly-interesting “investigation” takes place.
There are also some not-great implications that arise from the story. “Nihilistic” is a word that gets thrown around a lot with this film — or really Bay in general — and the complete lack of morality or consequence undermines the alleged “heroes.” There are also a lot of details that haven't aged particularly well, including racial stereotype jokes and a reckless glorification of police misconduct.
Nevertheless, I didn't go into this rewatch with any expectations of racial nuance or a hope for profound and complex storytelling. This is a “turn your brain off” type of exercise, and it’s fine for what it is trying to be.
5. Sound Design
I feel like I actually may have owned this soundtrack in CD form back in the day. It's an interesting compilation of hip-hop tracks with minor scores built in, but has a mostly loose theme to it. But despite having some good songs, I can't really claim that it enhances the film in any significant way. The best I can say is that it tonally feels fitting.
6. Editing
Like I mentioned earlier, I am not a fan of Bay's editing style for this film. It's also not entirely Bay's fault, though. This rapid-fire, never-hold-a-shot-for-more-than-two-seconds action editing of the early 2000s was used by a lot of films. I think what I dislike about it, apart from the chaotic visuals, is that it feels like a waste of some really cool and technically impressive shots. Even the sweeping 360-degree shot I mentioned earlier is frequently intercut with static cutaways that interrupt the flow. Had they just committed to the premise throughout, the end result would look better.
With that said, there is a panicky or chaotic feeling that this style evokes, and within the context of the film it is at least fitting.
7. Visual Effects
I actually think this is a great example of Michael Bay using CGI well. In some of his later films — especially the Transformers sequels — Bay fell into the trap of creating a “CGI-fest.” With Bad Boys II, most of the shots are done practically, with CGI used to enhance the action, increase safety, or move the camera in more fluid ways than would otherwise be possible. For instance, returning once again to the early car chase scene, we see some excellent examples of CGI cars being used to enhance the shots. And because so much of what is happening in the frame is done practically first, the CGI almost becomes invisible because it blends in so well. Even in the more blatant shots where it’s obvious CGI is being used, it is used sparingly enough that it still sells without breaking immersion too much. It shows an understanding of where CGI was at the time and how to maximize its strengths without falling prey to its limitations.
8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation
Buddy-cop movies existed well before Bad Boys took a crack at it, but as a more modern example of the genre, I think Bad Boys II holds up pretty well. It isn't offering anything new, but it is at least entertaining.
9. Stunt Coordination
There is some great stunt work in the film, but I'd say it is a mixed bag overall. We have already exhaustively talked about the incredible car chase sequence, which is incredibly well designed and executed. However, there are quite a few gunfights that feel a bit silly. For the amount of lead being shot around, it feels a bit more haphazard in terms of design when compared to some of the car-based sequences and doesn't carry the same weight or level of care that other sequences get.
10. Direction
I think Michael Bay accomplished exactly what he set out to do with this film. This isn't an auteur piece made for critics. This is a “let’s blow shit up and have some laughs” type of filmmaking, and it works more than it probably should. And despite some of my more intellectual gripes with Bay, I think the technical execution of the film is very high level and helped define the direction action movies would take into the early 2000s and beyond.
Legacy/Final Thoughts
Despite low scores with critics and mixed reviews with audiences, BBII grossed double its budget and eventually led to two additional sequels. It may have felt like a slight defeat at the time, but I think its legacy has won out. Looking at it now, Bad Boys II seems to have become an example of nostalgic action cinema that harkens back to a less serious time. And while it certainly had an influence on the action genre in the early 2000s, it has also had a surprising influence in comedy as well — serving as inspiration for great films like Hot Fuzz and 21 Jump Street.
It may not be peak cinema or a blockbuster masterpiece, but BBII is certainly a cultural highlight that has endured for over two decades.
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