Summary
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is the franchise’s best, but its critics' ratings tell a completely different story. Serving as the fourth installment in theBad Boysfranchise,Bad Boys: Ride Or Diemarks Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s return as the iconic buddy cop duo, Det. Lt. Michael Eugene “Mike” Lowrey and Det. Lt. Marcus Miles Burnett. However, despite featuring two big names as its leads,Bad Boys: Ride Or Diewas expected to take some major blows from the recent decline in movie box office numbers.
However, even though it is not a blockbuster yet,Bad Boys: Ride Or Dieis performing well at the global box officeand has earned over $120 million in its opening week against a budget of $100 million. The film’s box office performance is perhaps a reflection of how much viewers are admiring the film even though critics may not have given it the best reviews. This difference between critics' and viewer ratings raises intriguing questions surrounding all the factors that impact the perceptions and opinions of the two audiences.
How Much Bad Boys 4 Cost To Make & What Box Office It Needs
Bad Boys: Ride or Die has a similar budget to its last installment but still needs to hit a certain box office mark to prove the series successful.
Most viewers have seemingly enjoyed the newBad Boysmovie because it delivers everything it promises —from hilarious one-liners to slam-bang action sequences. Many also embraced how Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still have undeniable chemistry, bouncing off each other’s comic timing and energy. All in all, sinceBad Boys: Ride Or Dieoffers the same kind of popcorn entertainment its predecessors came to be known for, audiences have absolutely nothing to complain about.
…Bad Boys 4is also being appreciated for staying true to the classic tropes of buddy cop cinema, making it reminiscent of the best ’80s and ’90s movies of the sub-genre.
Apart from featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s comical banter,Bad Boys: Ride Or Diealso dabbles with a few serious plot lines. Even though the film’s overall tone remains lighthearted, it effectively balances its humor with its emotionally heavy moments. More than anything else,Bad Boys 4is also being appreciated for staying true to the classic tropes of buddy cop cinema, making it reminiscent of the best ’80s and ’90s movies of the subgenre. This adds a layer of nostalgia to the film, drawing in viewers who fondly remember the franchise’s early installments and other action classics.
Given howBad Boys: Ride Or Diehas a Rotten Tomatoes critics scoreof 64%, many critics seemingly share the same opinion as the viewers. However, since the critics' score is not as unanimous as the viewers', many critics also likely have reservations and complaints about the action film. For instance, one critic (Jeff Mitchell viaArt House Film Wire) said the film series is becoming more and more like theFast and Furiousfranchise, which can be both good and bad.
Many also expressed their concerns surrounding the film’s inability to maintain a consistent storyline and have any semblance of logic in its action sequences. Case in point: One critic (Sean Collier viaPittsburgh Magazine) pointed out thatthe film’s “glimmers of summer-movie fun” are often buried in “meandering plot and uninspired action.“Another reviewer (Evan Dossey viaMidwest Film Journal) expressed his issues with the sequel’s young directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah attempting to sell the franchise to younger audiences but failing to achieve the same despite its best efforts.
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’s 13 Easter Eggs & References Explained
Bad Boys: Ride or Die has a lot of sly references to the history of the franchise, featuring cameos from other stars and previous characters.
Bad Boys: Ride Or Dieis not the first film in the franchise to experience such a massive disparity between audience and critics' opinions. Even the first movie in the franchise, which premiered in 1995, has a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 44% but a relatively positive audience score of 78%. The difference between audience and critics' ratings is even greater forBad Boys II, which hasan incredibly low critics' score of 24% against an audience score of 78%. The third film,Bad Boys For Life, is an outlier as it got the franchise its first and only “Certified Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score of 76%.
44%
78%
24%
76%
96%
Bad Boys: Ride or Die(2024)
64%
97%
However, despite landing in most critics' good books, the third film continued the franchise trend by earning an impressive 96% score from viewers. This recurring divide between audience and critics' opinions surrounding the film highlights howviewers focus more on the franchise’s entertaining qualities and expect it to be nothing more than a mindless action comedy. In contrast, as mostBad Boys: Ride or Diereviewssuggest, critics expect new installments to reinvent the original formula and bring something more refreshing and unique to the table.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Bad Boys: Ride or Die continues the action-packed saga of Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. The film follows the duo as they face new threats and personal challenges, blending intense action scenes with the camaraderie fans have come to love in the Bad Boys series.
