Why Bad Boys Wasn’t Popular With Critics When It Released

Even though the buddy cup duo of Will Smith’s Marcus Burnett and Martin Lawrence’s Mike Lowrey can result in some rough-around-the-edges, unrefined, and downright indecent situations at times (see the video store scene from the second entry), the Bad Boys franchise has had enough momentum to last almost 30 years. Whether it was Michael Bay taking the helm on the first two entries or Belgian filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah directing Bad Boys For Life (2020) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Smith and Lawrence always brought a unique performance to these action-packed thrill rides. While all four films did just fine at the box office, and moviegoing audiences agreed they were highly entertaining films (to varying degrees), critics seemed to especially dislike the first two, on the other hand.

Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune, Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, and Desson Thomson of the Washington Post agree that 1995’s Bad Boys wasn’t anything different action-wise than what was already provided through other movies of those times. “Noise and nonsense” and “Haven’t we seen this all before?” are only some of the chosen words by these reviewers, and it doesn’t get any prettier.

Regarding the sequel (Bad Boys II), the main criticisms seem to be targeted toward the runtime (over 2 hours), the violence, and the various kinds of mean-spirited humor. The sequel appears to have the lowest scoring Metascore on Metacritic (out of all four) with a measly 38. On the other hand, the last two films in the franchise (up to this point) are well over 50% (when it comes to positive reactions) on the aforementioned website and Rotten Tomatoes.

Bad Boys Is a Refreshing Take on the Action Genre

With that being said, was the hate for Bad Boys and Bad Boys II warranted? Was Michael Bay taking it too far with his over-the-top camera cut sequences? Or perhaps, were the ’90s films just plain bad? Let’s look into this cinematic anomaly. Al Pacino’s Heat, Antonio Banderas’ Desperado, and Bruce Willis’ Die Hard With a Vengeance are only some of the top action movies from 1995. But what these movies have in common as opposed to Smith and Lawrence’s first act as cops (for the most part) is the gritty tone and thick tension.

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There is a certain element of real concern and edge-of-your-seat thrill while watching those movies. While Bad Boys pulls at the same strings and provides great entertainment, you never really feel as though the main characters are in any sort of dire situation where they could be legitimately killed. That tone is dialed down to evolve the buddy cop dynamic into a more off-the-cuff camaraderie. While that choice of direction is certainly not a bad route to take sometimes, the same criticism could be applied to the 2003 sequel.

What’s the Problem With Bad Boys II?

While there were buddy cop action movies from 2002 that would have worked well for the comparison (like Showtime and I, Spy), they both fell to the wayside (box office wise) for more serious productions like The Bourne Identity, Vin Diesel’s XXX and Minority Report. While there are moments of subtle humor in these, the seriousness and stakes of the plot take precedence over everything. Perhaps the beginnings of the Bad Boys franchise were tasked with breaking through a categorical mold that critics and reviewers didn’t even realize was there.

While Michael Bay’s two Bad Boys entries might not have the intensity of some of the aforementioned titles, they are certainly great experiences for action enthusiasts. Speaking of the more adrenaline-pumping scenes (which admittedly never seem to take a breather in the sequel), another critical (and hive-mind-esque) take on Bad Boys II seems to revolve around the no-consequence, “deafening display of bloodshed”.

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That’s what the Associated Press had to say — meanwhile, New York Daily News critic Jamie Bernard proclaims that the 2003 release was bigger, louder and bad — “like the title says.” Those who point to the violence are overstating the obvious, but still, it’s nothing we haven’t seen from that department before. Yes, there are too many dead bodies to count, and, at one point, the two detectives are literally reaching into corpses at the morgue for hidden contraband, but many other shock-value films were released around the same time, too. See Kill Bill Volume 1 or Oldboy (which were both released in 2003), for example. So, what was the foundation behind this comment? Bad Boys II was also rated R, so nobody should be surprised that the film went all out with its visuals in conjunction with the humor.

Those Bad Boys Reviews Shouldn’t Stop You

While hitting on the action sequences, some also point out that the film is too long for its own good, running at about two hours and 20 minutes. If you happen to be solely tuned in for the explosions and car chases, the length won’t be an issue. But for those looking for a trimmed story with a definitive start and ending, the second rendition of the Smith and Lawrence team-up is not it. The ending is stretched out by another car chase and a surprising minefield climax. So, in that case, the experts may be right until you look at other drawn-out action flicks seemingly standing the test of time. 2019’s Hobbs and Shaw was also over two hours and is highly favored. 2016’s Central Intelligence is another long (2 hours) buddy cop dynamic that maintains positive remembrance, too.

By no fault of its own, Bad Boys’ greatest mistake was that it was released when the latest and greatest action trend was all about seriousness. Bad Boys II suffers from a stretched-out story, as the critics say, but the pairing of Smith and Lawrence is enough to keep you tuned in. If you want to see for yourself, both Bad Boys and Bad Boys II are now available on Netflix. The latest addition to the franchise, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, is still in theaters.