It’s no secret that 2024’s summer movie season has gotten off to a relatively slow start. WhileDune: Part TwoandGodzilla x Kong: The New Empirewere successful within the first half of the year, films likeFuriosa: A Mad Max SagaandThe Fall Guyhave fallen well short of expectations for proposed summer blockbusters. That being said, the latest legacy sequel,Bad Boys: Ride or Die,may be the crowd-pleasing favorite that gets audiences excited about going to the movie theater again.The franchise formula proved to be successful,with positive reviews indicatingthat the film should be more than satisfactory for massive fans of the franchise.
Bad Boys: Ride or Diesees directorsAdil El ArbiandBilall Fallahreturning to the franchise afterBad Boys For Lifebecame a hit in 2020. In the new sequel, Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) team up once again to clear the name of their departed captain, Conrad Howard (Joe Pantaliano). While it certainly relies on the mythology of the previous installments in the series,Bad Boys: Ride or Dieis a throwbackto classic buddy cop action blockbusters.Here are ten movies to watch if you likeBad Boys: Ride or Die.
10‘Beverly Hills Cop’ (1984)
Directed by Martin Brest
TheBad Boysfranchise has succeeded thus far thanks to the unmatched chemistry between Smith and Lawrence; even when the films’ plots are less satisfying, seeing these two fun characters interact is more than satisfying. Similarly, the originalBeverly Hills Copcoasted on the charisma of Eddie Murphywhen he was at the height of his powers. While Murphy had proven himself as a comedy star with48 Hrs.andTrading Places,Beverly Hills Copwas proof that he could be an action lead.
Although the film earned a surprise Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay,Beverly Hills Copis far more action-packed than it’s remembered as being, and gets surprisingly dark in some instances. Although its two direct sequels failed to capture the same unique tone, there is a heavy amount of anticipation forthe upcoming legacy sequelBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fthat is scheduled to hit Netflix this summer.
Beverly Hills Cop
9‘Running Scared’ (1986)
Directed by Peter Hyams
The appeal of theBad Boysfilms is that they pair two actors with completely different sensibilities on screen together; while Lawrence is well-known for appearing in broad slapstick comedies, Smith is more closely associated with action films likeIndependence DayandI Am Legend. When it comes to cop thrillers about mismatched partners,Running Scaredsucceeded by pitting two very different comedic actors against each other. Billy CrystalandGregory Hinesstarred in this classic Chicago film about two cops that are tasked with pulling off one last case before their retirement.
Similar toBad Boys: Ride or Die,Running Scaredfinds the perfectbalance between action and comedy.Hyams, an underrated filmmaker behind gems like2010: The Year We Made ContactandCapricorn One, manages to pull off some impressive stunt sequences. However, the great one-liners traded between Crystal and Hines ensure that the film never risks taking itself too seriously.
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8‘Midnight Run’ (1988)
Bad Boysmay have been a successful franchise for nearly three decades, butbuddy cop movies simply don’t get better thanMidnight Run. After perfecting the genre withBeverly Hills Cop, directorMartin Brestcrafted this crowd-pleasing favorite about a hitman (Robert De Niro) who is forced to transport a prisoner (Charles Grodin) over the course of a long road trip. Wacky hijinks ensue, leading to an action spectacle that results in a surprising friendship.
TheBad Boysfilms have succeeded thus far because they show how the passage of time affects the characters. Similarly,Midnight Runsucceeds compared to other action comedies because of its more heartfelt qualities.While De Niro and Grodin trade more than a few insults at each other’s expense, there’sa heartfelt connection that is bridged between themby the time the story wraps up.
Midnight Run
7‘The Last Boy Scout’ (1991)
Directed by Tony Scott
Considering that the originalBad Boyswas released in 1995, all of its sequels retain the same kinetic, over-the-top style that definedone of the best decades in the history of action cinema.Tony Scotthelmed many of these classics, butThe Last Boy Scoutis a unique buddy cop film that has grown a strong cult fanbase.The film centers on an idiosyncratic private investigator (Bruce Willis) who teams up with a popular athlete (Damon Wayans) to explore a political conspiracy mystery related to the NFL.
While Willis and Wayans are unmatched in their star power,The Last Boy Scoutbenefited from a great script from screenwriter Shane Black.Black, who would go on to write and direct such classics asKiss Kiss Bang BangandThe Nice Guys, knows how to write cunning, snappy dialogue like no one else.
The Last Boy Scout
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6‘Lethal Weapon 4’ (1998)
Directed by Richard Donner
One of the most impressive aspects ofBad Boys: Ride or Dieis that it doesn’t simply feel like a “greatest hits” of previous entries; four entries in, and theBad Boysseries is still breaking new ground. While it’s hard to retain enthusiasm for a franchise that already has a trilogy under its belt,Lethal Weapon 4was a solid action sequel that brought the franchise to a satisfying conclusion.Although the dynamic between Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) was enough for the film to succeed,Lethal Weapon 4also introducedJet LiandChris Rockinto the franchise.
LikeBad Boys: Ride or Die,Lethal Weapon 4succeeded by adding more comedy to the series and acknowledging thatthe central duo had agedsince their first adventure.While rumors persist that a fifth installment in the series could still be in development,Lethal Weapon 4at least allowed for the beloved franchise to go out on a high note.
Lethal Weapon 4
5‘Starsky & Hutch’ (2004)
Directed by Todd Phillips
One of the primary influences behindBad Boyswere many of the classic buddy cop action series from the 1970s. While the original show was a bit more grounded and serious,Todd Phillips’reimagining of theStarsky & Hutchshow was a hilarious send-up of action comedies.The titular roles were played byBen StillerandOwen Wilson,each of whom brought their singular comedic charm to the project. The film lampoons how completely incompetent and ill-equipped for their responsibilities the two protagonists really are.
While Phillips would eventually trek into more serious territory as a filmmaker with his Academy Award-nominated dramaJokerandthe underrated satireWar Dogs, Starsky & Hutchcontains much of the broad comedy that makesBad Boys: Ride or Dieso entertaining.Even the most intense moments of action and spectacle are undercut by clever one-liners.
Starsky & Hutch
4‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Bad Boyssoon became so popular that it was placed on a shortlist of the greatest action films of the 1990s. Ironically,Bad Boys IIis referenced specifically in Edgar Wright’s action comedyHot Fuzz. Wright’s absurd satire of cop thrillers focuses on a big city police officer (Simon Pegg) who is forced to work with a mild-mannered cop (Nick Frost) in a small town, only to discover that there is a larger conspiracy at play. As with all of the films in Wright’s unofficial “Three Colors Trilogy,”Hot Fuzz’s success rests on the chemistry between Frost and Pegg, who are best friends in real life.
Hot Fuzzis a love letter to action cinemaand certainly doesn’t skimp on great set pieces. While it’s subversive and silly in the way that many of Wright’s films are,Hot Fuzzmakes full useof its R-rating during the bloody climax.
3‘Men in Black 3’ (2012)
Directed by Barry Sonnenfield
The success ofBad Boys: Ride or Dieis somewhat surprising, as Smith does not always do sequels; he famously did not reprise his roles in eitherIndependence Day: ResurgenceorThe Suicide Squad, and the development of a sequel toI Am Legendhas been stagnant since 2007. However,Men in Black 3shows why Smith benefits from returning to play a character.WhileMen in Black IIwas a major disappointment, the third entry inBarry Sonnenfeld’s science fiction comedy seriestook a more heartfelt approach to the material.
The thirdMen in Blackfilm sees Smith’s Agent J traveling back in time to the 1960s, where he meets a younger version of his partner, Agent K (Josh Brolin).Men in Black 3allowed Smith to exercise his charismaby playing one of his best characters. Unsurprisingly, the subsequent sequel,Men in Black International,failed without his involvement.
Men in Black 3
2‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ (2017)
Directed by Patrick Hughes
Star power is a major reason whyBad Boys: Ride or Dielives up to the hype. While it may not reach the same heights as previous installments in the series, the new film is at its best when it allows Lawrence and Smith to bounce off each other’s energies.There’s no better example of the importance of good casting in a buddy cop movie thanThe Hitman’s Bodyguard. The 2017 action film centers on a bodyguard (Ryan Reynolds) who is forced to protect a rival assassin (Samuel L. Jackson) as they await the trial of a dangerous dictator (Gary Oldman).
While it won’t win any points for originality,The Hitman’s Bodyguardsucceeds thanks to the relentless charm of its two stars.Reynolds is perfect at playing snappy, sardonic action heroes, and no one delivers enraged profanities quite like Jackson. The film also served as abreakout for directorPatrick Hughes, who returned to direct the underrated sequel,The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
1‘Ambulance’ (2022)
Directed by Michael Bay
WhileMichael Bayonly directed the first two films in theBad Boysseries, the subsequent entries certainly retain some of his visual and aesthetic hallmarks. He may have wasted too many years making terribleTransformerssequels, butBay made a serious comeback with his getaway thrillerAmbulance. Set in Los Angeles, the film follows two lifelong friends (Jake GyllenhaalandYayah Abdul Mateen II) as they hijack an ambulance while eluding the cops.
Ambulancefeatures all the haphazard mayhem and violence that Bay is best at, as he is free to utilize all the extravagance of an R-rating. Like in the originalBad Boysfilms, Bay succeeds because he never stops to question the absurdity of the situation. Between its frequent drone shots andjaw-dropping final set piece,Ambulancehas already marked itself as one of Bay’s best, alongsideThe RockandArmageddon.
