Tom Jolliffe on whether the world needs another instalment of Bad Boys…
I recall a time, in my more youthful days. Die Hard was the greatest film ever (okay…it still probably is). Speed was probably second for a time. Then something happened. Michael Bay happened. He delivered a film that, though it was R rated (18 in the UK), it was mismarketed, because it was really aimed at boys between the ages of 10-15. I was within that demographic. I had three pubic hairs and had only just moved on from Pogs. Sophistication for me, was opting for a Lincolnshire sausage with my bangers and mash.
So Bad Boys arrived. I caught it a year down the line on video. My mind was blown. I’d grown up on a heady mix of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Even 23 years ago, they were starting to creak, and they played roles with a certain stoic, robotic demeanour fairly often. Bad Boys swaggers in – well roars in – within the confides of Mike Lowry’s Porsche. Marcus (Martin Lawrence) upon hearing it’s a limited edition, where he can’t put his drink down, pipes up with ‘you damn right it’s limited! This is just a big shiny dick, and we the balls, just dragging the fuck along.’ Uproarious (and I say that only with a slight tinge of sarcasm). It’s still funny. To a 14 year old though, my sides actually split. I was quoting that line to schoolmates for years. ‘Dude, you’re in university studying a film course now. We’ve just watched Salo… grow up!’
Will Smith was launched to the stratosphere. People even thought Martin Lawrence was hilarious, until solo projects kind of began convincing the world otherwise. Together they were great. Yes the film had all the subtlety and grace of…well…Donald Trump speaking at a feminist rally, but it’s fun. I still enjoy it, but with the maturity now and acceptance that it’s initial impact has waned (because it doesn’t have the depth to retain timelessness). Michael Bay films don’t date well. Even his best ones (well, his first two films). The second film was laced with masses of action but with a meanness of spirit and charmlessness. It was a horrible film and Smith’s heart wasn’t in it. He knew he could be doing better at that point in his career. Lawrence was slap back in the middle of career slalom. The point is, it was more indulgent than the first. The misogyny, casual racism, jingoism and optic physical assault were cranked up to double the first time out. Nothing felt sparky, or off the cuff. There was no electricity in the interchange between Smith and Lawrence. Above all else, even in 2003, it was out of date.
Push forward to 2018, and finally, Bad Boys 3 (a.k.a. Bad Boys For Lif3) is moving ahead. Gone is Michael Bay from the director’s chair, and in come a pair of rising directors from the independent arena. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will helm. That could be promising. Bay hasn’t developed as a director, and for better or worse, has maintained his approach unapologetically. To be fair, whilst I’m no fan, I respect him for that level of self-belief as a director. You may even call him an auteur (probably under whispered breath, and under the proviso that there is such a thing as a bad auteur). Still, you know a Bay film when you see it. You may not like it, but he’s got a ‘Bay’ style.
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Originally published April 29, 2018. Updated April 30, 2019.
