Bad Boys II

The sequel to 1995's Bad Boys sees narcotics cops Mike Lowery (Smith) and Marcus Bennett (Lawrence) investigating ecstasy flowing into Miami. This leads them into conflict with a particularly vicious drugs baron. To make things a bit more interesting Lowery is having an affair with Marcus' sister who is working undercover for the drugs baron.

The exact details of the plot are fairly forgettable; this is not the reason to see the film. With any film by director Michael Bay (The Rock, Armageddon) you know what you are going to get.... loud explosions, chase sequences, and glossy action. In this aspect Bad Boys 2 really doesn't disappoint. A vastly superior budget to the original really shines through with some fantastic set pieces.

Also in keeping with both the director and the two leads is the witty dialogue and comic moments. The opening with Lowery and Bennett singing the Bad Boys song whilst being surrounded by drug dealing Ku-Klux-Clan sets the tone for the whole film. In addition, the humour includes a very funny scene with Lowery and Bennett looking for drugs in a mortuary. Throughout the film Smith gets the wisecracks whilst Lawerence is the butt of the jokes and gets the physical humour. In many ways the characters interact and behave in a similar manor to Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon films. This is definitely a buddy cop movie of the sort that is rarely made any more. Bad Boys 2 provides a reminder of just why this genere has proved so popular over so many years.

There has been a gradual creeping in recent years of graphic violence into main-stream films (most notably Kill Bill) and this is noticeable in Bad Boys 2, however, here it is largely played for laughs and at no point is it deeply unpleasant or disturbing. This is, after all, a fun film.

Whilst Bad Boys 2 with a running time close to two and a half hours appears quite long, if you are a fan of fun brainless action movies then the time will fly by. Disengage brain and enjoy....

Chris Munden