Bad Boys: Ride or Die First Reactions Call Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Sequel “a Total Blast”

The first Bad Boys reactions are ride or die for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is “phenomenal,” ComicBook’s Brandon Davis shared on social media Thursday. “This one raised every bar. It’s nonstop hilarious. Innovative action beats. So much chemistry with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.The best time I’ve had at the movies in a while. Absolutely loved it.” 

The fourth film in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced franchise is “a total blast,” writes /Film‘s Bill Bria, adding that returning Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (collectively known as Adil & Bilall) “have tapped into the strong emotional core of this series without sacrificing any of its insane fun. Smith & Lawrence bring their A-game, the supporting cast step it way up (REGGIE!), & sh-t blows up real good.”

TheWrap‘s Drew Taylor also heaped praise on Smith and Lawrence’s buddy cop comedy, adding that the mystery is “compelling” and that Eric Dane plays “a great baddie.” Russ Milheim of TheDirect gave Bad Boys a thumbs down, but said “it seems lots of fans of the franchise will enjoy it,” and the screening audience was “having a blast.”

In the new movie, Miami’s finest, Detective Lieutenant Michael Eugene “Mike” Lowrey (Smith) and Detective Lieutenant Marcus Miles Burnett (Lawrence), are Miami’s most wanted. When the late Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is accused of corruption and working with Miami drug cartels for years, Lowrey and Burnett are set up — and forced to go on the run to clear their captain’s name.

“I’m very excited about this one,” Smith told Entertainment Weekly. “We want it to feelnostalgic, but we also want the characters to be experiencing thingsthat are age-appropriate and experience-appropriate. It’s a challenge tokeep it fun and keep it exciting and make sure that the popcorn part isenjoyable, but also letting it be gourmet popcorn. It is popcorn, butit’s definitely got some special sauce on it.”

Calling Bad Boys: Ride or Die “what a summer movie is supposed to be,” Smith added: “That’s the thing that is important [in making] another one: It has tohave an emotional base that is interesting and riveting, not just tryingto blow some stuff up. At this point in my life, Ineed the movies to be about something. Part of why Bad Boysworks for people is at the heart of it is friendship. At the heart of itis love. At the heart of it is a relationship, and it’s the kind ofrelationship that we all wish we had, somebody that will ride or diewith us and for us.”

Also starring Vanessa Hudgens (Bad Boys for Life), Alexander Ludwig (Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant), Paola Núñez (Resident Evil), Eric Dane (Euphoria), Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four), and Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), Bad Boys: Ride or Die is in theaters June 7.

Via @BrandonDavisBD

Via @DrewTailored

Via @billbria

Via @RussMilheim

Via @shanellegenai

View on X