Bad Boys
2/4
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Tea Leoni, Tcheky Karyo, Joe Pantoliano
Rated R for Intense Violent Action and Pervasive Strong Language
Call it dumb fun. It's loud, dumb and filled with gunfire, stunts and things going boom from top to bottom. The "bad boy" cops constantly trade barbs and insults with each other, and with the lady witness. And you can feel the summer heat in every frame (in this case, it's Miami). Summers used to be filled with movies like this. Now, "Bad Boys" is an artifact.
A team of high-tech thieves breaks into a Miami police station and steals $100 million dollars worth of heroin. Detectives Mike Lowery (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) are on the case. Soon, there's a girl named Julie (Leoni) who tags along because she witnessed said thieves murder Mike's friend, Max (Karen Alexander in a performance that makes you wish she was onscreen longer). To make matters worse, Julie thinks Marcus is Mike, and Marcus (who is married) must play the ultra-swinging bachelor.
If you think this is a thin premise for an action movie, you're right. The story never gets much more complicated than what I just described (except for the an Internal Affairs officer, played by Marg Helgenberger, who wants to shut down Mike and Marcus' precinct, but this is really a throwaway). This is a really thin story, even for an action movie, but that's not the biggest problem.
What really hurts the film is the fact that the obligatory quips between the two heroes are more hostile than funny. Some of these could be funny, and Lawrence and Smith are both skilled at getting the audience to laugh, but I dunno. Apparently, Michael Bay (directing his first film) hated the script, and encouraged his stars to improvise in hopes of improving the script. It doesn't work.
At least the acting is good. Will Smith is one of the most charismatic and likable screen actors working today, and that quality serves him well. He may not be in the best vehicle for his talents, but it did get him noticed. Martin Lawrence isn't quite as good, but he's still likable. Tea Leoni, with her husky voice and low-key acting style, is an odd choice for an action lady, but she's surprisingly effective. Tcheky Karyo is an okay villain, and Joe Pantoliano shines as the foaming-at-the-mouth captain.
Say what you want about Michael Bay (some love him, some hate him), but he knows what he's doing. Stylishly choreographed with impressive cinematography, this has the earmarks of a great action movie. If only the script was stronger. As it is, Bay and his stars keep it just above watchable.
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Tea Leoni, Tcheky Karyo, Joe Pantoliano
Rated R for Intense Violent Action and Pervasive Strong Language
Call it dumb fun. It's loud, dumb and filled with gunfire, stunts and things going boom from top to bottom. The "bad boy" cops constantly trade barbs and insults with each other, and with the lady witness. And you can feel the summer heat in every frame (in this case, it's Miami). Summers used to be filled with movies like this. Now, "Bad Boys" is an artifact.
A team of high-tech thieves breaks into a Miami police station and steals $100 million dollars worth of heroin. Detectives Mike Lowery (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) are on the case. Soon, there's a girl named Julie (Leoni) who tags along because she witnessed said thieves murder Mike's friend, Max (Karen Alexander in a performance that makes you wish she was onscreen longer). To make matters worse, Julie thinks Marcus is Mike, and Marcus (who is married) must play the ultra-swinging bachelor.
If you think this is a thin premise for an action movie, you're right. The story never gets much more complicated than what I just described (except for the an Internal Affairs officer, played by Marg Helgenberger, who wants to shut down Mike and Marcus' precinct, but this is really a throwaway). This is a really thin story, even for an action movie, but that's not the biggest problem.
What really hurts the film is the fact that the obligatory quips between the two heroes are more hostile than funny. Some of these could be funny, and Lawrence and Smith are both skilled at getting the audience to laugh, but I dunno. Apparently, Michael Bay (directing his first film) hated the script, and encouraged his stars to improvise in hopes of improving the script. It doesn't work.
At least the acting is good. Will Smith is one of the most charismatic and likable screen actors working today, and that quality serves him well. He may not be in the best vehicle for his talents, but it did get him noticed. Martin Lawrence isn't quite as good, but he's still likable. Tea Leoni, with her husky voice and low-key acting style, is an odd choice for an action lady, but she's surprisingly effective. Tcheky Karyo is an okay villain, and Joe Pantoliano shines as the foaming-at-the-mouth captain.
Say what you want about Michael Bay (some love him, some hate him), but he knows what he's doing. Stylishly choreographed with impressive cinematography, this has the earmarks of a great action movie. If only the script was stronger. As it is, Bay and his stars keep it just above watchable.
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