I was skeptical going into last night’s screening of Bad Boys For Life (BBFL).

Bad Boys 2 left a rotten taste in my mouth, and when I read about all the production troubles this movie had I wondered how the final product would turn out. BBFL was in the works for a long time, and the release date was changed a few times. Normally when you see that the film doesn’t turn out to be great. Ask Gemini Man about that. Thankfully this third installment was a good time! The screening audience laughed together. We said “ooooooohhhhhh” together. We were even sad together. It’s crazy how decent writing and new directors can have that effect. I told someone I thought BBFL was a vast improvement over 2, and his reply was “but Bad Boys 2 was awesome, so how was the third one way better?” BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!! *Smirks* I really enjoyed how the movie turned out with new writers and under the direction of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. BBFL is the second movie Arbi and Fallah directed together, and in my opinion it’s a breath of fresh air for the franchise. This time Marcus and Mike are being haunted by the past because a person from a very old case resurfaces with a hit list. Taking out the targets on the list is part of a plot to control all of the drug trade in Miami, so the duo has to prevent that while staying alive. The plot is straightforward, but there were some layers to the story and character development which gave the movie some depth. The callbacks to previous entries had the audience cracking up and the new cast members who portray the special police team AMMO are good additions. It’s that “ole skool meets new school” trope you often see in police movies but it results in some funny “shots fired” moments. I really enjoyed seeing Paola Nuñez as the leader of AMMO. She is tough and she looks good! Don’t worry….there is eye candy for everyone. The action sequences still have the Michael Bay flare to them. I’m talking those mega explosions during the car chases and shootouts, but you love to see it! Or you love to hate it! Overall I was happy with what I saw and I think fans will enjoy this. It’s a decent action romp for the casual viewer as well. Not sure why BBFL is getting the IMAX treatment, but I might put my AMC A List to use for a viewing in that format. I don’t recommend spending extra money to see this in premium though. The numerous scenic shots of Miami are beautiful but regular format will do. See my live review here: https://www.facebook.com/MoviesWithMigs/videos/2569734233311067/

CHEERS!
Migs Rodriguez