It could take some “bad boys” to save this summer’s poor box office performance. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” grossed $5.875 million in Thursday previews at the box office.
Sony and Columbia’s fourth “Bad Boys” film, a sequel to 2020’s surprise blockbuster “Bad Boys for Life,” is estimated to gross between $45 million and $50 million this weekend.
Sony, on the other hand, estimates a lower total of $30 million. The more conservative prediction may be too cautious due to the growing number of summer films, such as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Fall Guy,” that have failed to connect with audiences.
Theater owners are looking for some relief sooner rather than afterward, and hopefully “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is the solution, as the summer box office is considerably behind past years’ grosses. In addition, it’s Smith’s first big picture since the infamous Oscars 2022 incident in which he slapped Chris Rock, raising questions about how the controversy would impact his box office chances. The movie required $100 million to create, but if the box office results are any indication, it will be a hit.
“Bad Boys for Life,” the third movie in the franchise, made $6.4 million in previews on Thursday, January 20, 2020, and opened with a $62 million weekend. Following the theater closures due to the epidemic, it went on to become the biggest successful film of the year, taking in $426 million worldwide. Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett from Smith and Lawrence are back, this time on a risky assignment. This time, they have to clear their late police captain, who was falsely accused of collaborating with drug gangs after his death. Vanessa Hudgens, Tiffany Haddish, DJ Khaled, Alexander Ludwig, and others are in the cast.
This weekend also marks the release of “The Watchers,” M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut. The eerie horror film made $1 million in previews and is predicted to release with an approximate budget of $10 million.
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Bad Boys 4 movie review
The adrenaline is pumping, and there are insane shootouts in a helicopter and an abandoned alligator park (abandoned except for the toothy beasts). Despite this, the fourth installment of the buddy action comedy lacks the special sauce that keeps viewers hooked.
Mike (Will Smith) of the Miami Police Department has finally matured and is marrying Christine (Melanie Liburd), his physical therapist (the film emphasizes this distinction). Marcus (Martin Lawrence), his partner in the force, suffers a heart attack while attending the wedding. Marcus is a new man after a near-death experience in which he receives guidance from the great beyond, and he is not pleased when his wife, Theresa (Tasha Smith), discards all salty foods and goes vegetarian to help him heal.
Then it’s time for the bad boys to ride again (forget Marcus’ dickey heart), when their deceased captain, Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano), is accused of being corrupt and accepting cartel money. In a communication from beyond the dead, Conrad informs Mike and Marcus that there is a crooked cop among the cops. The two resolve to continue their investigation and clear the captain’s name.
Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens), Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), and Rita (Paola Núñez) from the Miami Police Department, as well as US Marshall Judy (Rhea Seehorn), Conrad’s daughter, are all searching for the truth. Rita’s most recent lover is Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd), who is running for mayor. Mike’s son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), who is in prison for Conrad’s murder, has important proof. McGrath (Eric Dane), an Army ranger, has teeth-gnashing sneers that make him a very unpleasant person.
Smith and Lawrence’s riffing is entertaining up to a point, particularly the line about Smith being a donkey in his previous birth. However, it gradually becomes monotonous, and there are slaps that will bring back horrifying memories of Oscar slap-gate. The video game shoot-em-up manner of the action sequences catches the eye, as do the merry crocs, but soon enough, your mind travels to the action sequences in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo, which were considerably more edge-of-your-seat and a whole lot more thrilling.
It is time for the franchise, which began nearly 30 years ago (1995 to be exact) and is directed by Michael Bay, who makes a cameo appearance in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, to be placed to rest in peace or pieces—the decision is up to Hollywood’s bean counters.