Plot Summary: When their late police captain gets linked to drug cartels, wisecracking Miami cops Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett embark on a dangerous mission to clear his name.

Directors: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah

Writers: Chris Bremner, Will Beall, George Gallo

Runtime: 1 hour 55 mins

• Will Smith as Mike Lowrey
• Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett
• Vanessa Hudgens as Kelly
• Alexander Ludwig as Dorn
• Eric Dane as McGrath
• Ioan Gruffudd as Lockwood

Review by: Samuel

What I Liked:

Before we get to the action, I do want to talk about the two leads. While the familiar faces who return are great in themselves, this movie is so much better because Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are committed to these roles. Over 20 years after the original, the passion they have for this franchise is on full display. I BELIVE Mike and Marcus are real-life best friends every minute I see them on screen. Their comedic timing is superb, and they bounce off each other in perfect harmony. But it’s not just that they’re funny; this movie has a surprising amount of heart, with Mike Lowry finally settling down with a wife and having to deal with all that means, both good and bad. So, it’s a blessing (for him and the audience) that his partner/brother is there to help him through it. Speaking of, this is a film where Martin’s Marcus shines a little brighter. He is the one initiating all of the belly laughs you’re sure to have. When I mention return to form, I mostly mean him because this is the best I’ve seen him since Bad Boys 2. He can be a bit over the top in some sequences, but he’s nowhere near as bad as he was in Bad Boys 3. 

Now, the action, the other start of the film. It is mostly excellent. A lot of practical effects are in use with some VERY creative camera angles. One scene actually puts you in the viewpoint of the gun, and that was incredible to watch. I mentioned it was more down-to-earth, but that was mostly in terms of believability and the scope of the story- this movie did not skimp at all in the production budget. Some of these action scenes are absolute spectacles. One in particular that occurs on an air carrier comes to mind. Though my favorite has to be the car chase scene- just trust me, the entire sequence will have you equal parts hysterical and in awe. 

I also want to mention the cameos- there are plenty here, and each is sure to bring a smile to your face. 

I’ll wrap up by saying one name – Reggie. You’ll know it when you see it. The man is a scene stealer. 

What I Didn’t Like:

This is going to be a short list

1. While the camera angles were creative, in the beginning, several of them were isolation close-up shots of someone’s face, and it seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a bit distracting when the scene showed people talking, then all of a sudden there was a low-angle shot zoomed in on one character’s face. 
2. Martin’s character Marcus, was the heart of the film, but there were about 2 to 3 scenes where he was overly silly. One is shown in the trailer when he’s trying to catch candy in his mouth. It’s not a deal breaker, but noticeable enough to mention. 

Images courtesy of IMDB