Bad Boys for Life – 2020 – R
It’s been 25 years since 1995’s Bad Boys narcotic detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) went heroin hunting in a black 964-generation Porsche 911. In 2003’s Bad Boys II the Miami duo drive a silver Ferrari 550 Maranello chasing down ecstasy traffickers. The 2020 Bad Boys for Life race around town in a blue Porsche 911 Carrera 4S on the trail of the Mexican cartel. Notice a trend? Good guy detectives Mike and Marcus racing hot cars chasing bad guys. A simple formula that has grossed over $420 million for the Bad Boys franchise.
What changed between Bad Boys I, II and III is obvious: age. The two daring, raucous, adrenaline fueled partners are now middle-aged, older but not that much wiser alpha males. Marcus, a new grandfather retires from the force while Mike, a dedicated badass who prefers to rage, rage against the dying of the light, is critically injured in a drive-by revenge hit. He eventually recovers and pressures Marcus into coming out of retirement, teaming up “one last time” to track down the would be assassin.
Explosions, fires, gangland killings, car chases, helicopter rescues, helicopter crashes, automotive carnage, motorcycle wheelies and sidecar splits, pit bulls, drones, bombs, bullets and rocket launchers, all spike the body count of death and destruction. Add in cartel killing machine Armando Aretas (Jacob Scipio) and his revenge hungry, Mike-hating mother Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo), a Mexican “witch” who lights candles on a Mexico City rooftop in the name of the cult saint Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte (Our Lady of Holy Death), and game on. The “Mike-hating” part is what ratchets the story into more engaging territory than cops, cars and crack.
Mike and Marcus are fearless and fun, wily and witty, bantering and bickering from Miami to Mexico and back. Beyond the loyalty of police force brotherhood these two old friends genuinely care for each other and it shows. Keep counting. There will be a Bad Boys 4. The only question is what kind of car will they drive, Ford or Ferrari?
