A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a little
Like the other films in the series, the theme of family (and bonds of friendship) is present underneath the over-the-top action. Characters are encouraged to form better relationships with loved ones, and the main characters both have a strong sense of duty and devotion to their superiors -- even though they blow everything up and face no consequences, they're trying to do the right thing. Anxiety is treated lightly/dismissively.
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Positive Role Models
very little
The main characters are likable, but they're also unapologetically violent and crude and never face any consequences. Even their family-like bond now seems stretched thin. One character struggles with the misconception that he's "cursed" and brings violence down upon his loved ones; he begins to suffer panic attacks, which isn't taken/discussed seriously and is solved with a simple slap on the face and someone saying saying "it's not your fault." Another character has a near-death experience and realizes that he has "nothing to fear," which dissolves into a series of jokes about how he tests this theory.
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Diverse Representations
some
The two lead characters and many others are Black; co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are Belgian filmmakers of Moroccon descent. Black performers/athletes Tiffany Haddish, John Salley, and DJ Khaled appear in small roles. Police captain Rita Secada is played by Paola Núñez, who was born in Mexico. Jacob Scipio, who plays Mike's son, Armando, has Indo-Guyanese and English ancestry. Vanessa Hudgens, who co-stars as Kelly, is of Filipina descent. These are all heroic roles; most of the villainous roles are played by White men. In one scene, Mike and Marcus are forced to steal clothes from two White Miami residents, and there's some dialogue suggesting that they may be White supremacists, but this isn't condoned in any way. A White man in a prison scene has a Swastika tattoo. Key female characters are tough, but they're also largely bystanders/supporters of the male characters; some women are objectified. A form of torture in which fingernails are removed is referred to as a "Colombian manicure."
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Guns used to threaten and shoot, with blood spurts and deaths. Women are kidnapped and held at gunpoint. A man beats a woman up in an elevator car, slamming her face against the wall, etc. During a prison yard fight, a character uses a barbell weight to bash opponents in the head. Knife threat, knife fights, stabbing and slicing. Car chases and crashes. Plane crashes into building, with a character shredded by the propellor. Vehicle slams into character. Vehicle on fire. Helicopter crash. Explosions. Bombs dropped via drone. Grenade. Fighting, punching, kicking, slapping. Character collapses from a heart attack. A man shoots a woman in the face, off-camera, to make it look like she died by suicide. Description of "Colombian manicure," in which a character's fingernails are forcibly removed with pliers; brief flash of character screaming in pain. Characters are bitten/eaten by a giant alligator. Character stands on ledge of tall building. Character walks into busy street, nearly hit by traffic. Character has nightmare that includes violent flashbacks from previous movies. Panic attacks. Swastika tattoo. A man tries to coerce his wife into bed but is interrupted.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
A man lifts his hospital gown, with his back to the camera, supposedly exposing his private parts; a gust of wind lifts his gown, and his buttocks are briefly exposed. Strong sex-related dialogue and sexual gestures. Women pole-dance in a strip club (no nudity). Two co-workers are caught having a secret relationship. Shirtless male. Gratuitous montage of women in bikinis. Kissing. A man gestures for a woman to sit on his lap.
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Language
a lot
Near-constant, extremely strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "t-ts," "bulls--t," "p---y," "son of a bitch," "ass," "dumbass," "d--k," "bastard," "damn."
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Products & Purchases
some
Bags of Doritos chips and packages of Skittles candy are prominently displayed/mentioned. Character wears a Bud Light T-shirt. Ding Dongs and co*ke are mentioned.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Character drinks a glass of whiskey mixed with Pepto Bismol. Mentions of drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, etc.).
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth movie in the increasingly tired buddy-cop franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence that began in 1995. It's more of the same, so if you were a fan of the other ones, you'll probably like this one, too. It has all of the explosive violence you'd expect, with guns and shooting, blood spurts, deaths, knives, slicing, stabbing, chases, crashes, fires, fighting, alligator attacks, a brief image of torture, and more. Near-constant language includes "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "t-ts," "bulls--t," "p---y," "son of a bitch," "ass," "d--k," "damn," and more. There's also sex-related dialogue, sexual gestures, scantily clad men and women, a brief glimpse of a man's bare buttocks, and kissing. Drugs (ecstasy and cocaine) are mentioned, and a character drinks whiskey. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) finally decides to tie the knot with Christine (Melanie Liburd). While dancing at their wedding, Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) has a heart attack and lands in the hospital. When he wakes up, he has a new lease on life; he's no longer afraid. Meanwhile, an obscene amount of money has been transferred to an account in the name of Mike and Marcus's late captain (Joe Pantoliano), making it look as if the captain was crooked and in cahoots with drug cartels. The only person who can identify the culprit is Mike's son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), who's incarcerated. Mike arranges to have Armando transferred to a safe location so he can make the ID, but their helicopter is sabotaged, and Mike and Marcus are framed. Suddenly, Mike, Marcus, and Armando find themselves on the run from the law, with no one to trust.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bad Boys: Ride or Die's violence. Is it designed to thrill or shock? How did the filmmakers achieve this effect? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How does the theme of family (or bonds of friendship) run through this series? What are the positives and negatives of these relationships?
Do you consider these cop characters role models? Why, or why not?
Did you notice positive diverse representations in the movie? What about stereotypes?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 7, 2024
- Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens
- Director:
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors, Asian actors
- Studio: Sony Pictures Releasing
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references
- Last updated: June 5, 2024
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