When a crooked ex-cop helps a major drug dealer break into police headquarters to steal $100 million in seized heroin, detectives Mike Lowrey (played by Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are on the case. When Lowrey’s informant is gunned down at a private drug party, her roommate, Julie (Tea Leoni), becomes the only witness who knows everything. She’ll only talk to Lowrey but he’s unavailable so Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) forces Barnett to tell Julie that he’s, in fact, Lowrey. The charade ends when the drug dealer (Tchéky Karyo) tracks the group to Lowrey’s house and kidnaps Julie, causing Marcus and Mike to stop at nothing until they get their man.
It’s a fun, action-packed romp but the only thing that makes BAD BOYS memorable is the chemistry between Smith and Lawrence. Their “old married couple” fights are entertaining, relatable and hilarious. In addition, the audience quickly realizes they’re using those exchanges to communicate with each other during intense moments to synchronize their response.
Michael Bay, in his directorial debut, lays the groundwork here for what he’d become known for: explosive action scenes, fast paced camera work, making speed a character in his films and objectifying women both on screen and in the script.
Just like how there was a signature sound for 1980’s movies, Mark Mancina’s score fits perfectly here and it’s one of the more underrated aspects of the film. The soundtrack may have featured Diana King, Notorious BIG, Jon B., Da Brat and KMFDF, rarely are any of those tracks heard prior to the credits. Mancina’s tunes are the backbone of momentum and vibe.
At the end of the day, BAD BOYS is a fun-but-basic 90’s big budget action comedy. It has a pretty elementary plot, loads of stereotypical character types and is clearly a product of it’s era. Matter of fact, without the playful quarreling between Smith and Lawrence, you’d have a pretty forgettable movie.
JKG SCORE: 7.0
Untitled Film Project 