Bad Boys: Ride Or Die Early Reactions Prove Will Smith Is Back With Another Blockbuster
The Bad Boys franchise has been a reliably fun blockbuster experience and early reactions are proving that the upcoming Bad Boys: Ride or Die will be no different. Those who attended the early fan screenings for the flick have taken to social media to share their thoughts, and the reviews are almost universally positive. It seems like Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have another big hit on their hands.
Early Screenings
Bad Boys: Ride or Die held a special screening at AMC the Grove in Los Angeles and Will Smith and Martin Lawrence made a surprise appearance to greet fans at the screening. Elsewhere, early screenings were held in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Miami, and Washington DC.
There are quite a few early reactions making the rounds on social media now, and the fans have been raving about the action, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s performances, and some other aspects of the film.
Reviews
Brandon Davis from ComicBook.com said it was “nonstop hilarious” with “innovative action beats,” and “the best time I’ve had at the movies in a while.” Meanwhile, Drew Taylor from the Wrap said Bad Boys: Ride or Die was “an absolute blast,” adding praise to Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry, Eric Dane’s villain, and the action sequences from directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.
Reviewer Bill Bria said the film “tapped into the strong emotional core of this series without sacrificing any of its insane fun.”
The Franchise
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth entry to the franchise, which kicked off in 1995 with Bad Boys. The most recent film in the franchise was Bad Boys for Life in 2020, which brought in over $426 million at the box office. With these warm early reviews, it seems like Bad Boys: Ride or Die could be another critical and commercial success for the franchise.
The Making Of
Bad Boys: Ride or Die sees Smith and Lawrence reprising their roles as Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowrey and Detective Lieutenant Marcus Burnett.
This time, the two Miami cops have to go on a dangerous mission to clear the name of their late captain when he gets linked to drug cartels. A setup also turns the two into fugitives, so they’ll have to work outside the law to set things right.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who directed the previous entry to the franchise, Bad Boys for Life.
The screenplay was written by Chris Bremner and Will Beall. Along with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, the film stars Alexander Ludwig, Vanessa Hudgens, Eric Dane, Paola Nunez, Jacob Scipio, Armando Aretas, Rhea Seehorn, Tasha Smith, Ioan Gruffudd, and Tiffany Haddish.
Probably More To Come
If Bad Boys: Ride or Die recreates the success of previous films, it seems likely that the franchise has more in the tank. Smith and Lawrence both teased that this may not be the last film, as Lawrence told EW, “I’m going to carry on as long as my brother carries on.” In the meantime, you can check out Bad Boys: Ride or Die when it hits theaters on June 7.
