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July 18, 2003
By Veronica Mixon
Michael Bay reunites Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in the duo’s first
movie franchise in Bad Boys
II. This big-budget action
series that follows two cops on a drug
task force as they cowboy their way
around Miami chasing bold, deadly dope
smugglers was a favorite with audiences
eight years ago. Both Lawrence (Big
Momma’s House) and Smith
(Independence Day, Men In Black)
have become big stars and fans will
no doubt flock to this sequel. However,
Bad Boys II
is a noisy, empty action film!
Marcus (Lawrence) and Mike (Smith)
are chasing a shipment of Ecstacy when
they stumble upon an undercover DEA
operation headed by Syd (Gabrielle Union)
Burnett. She is Marcus’s sister
from New York City and Mike’s
secret lover. Syd is posing as a money
launder for a crooked nightclub owner
(Peter Stormane Fargo) and
eventually meets a vicious Cuban drug
lord played by Jordi Molla. Marcus and
Mike insist on protecting Syd and eventually
they have to secretly enter Cuba to
rescue her.
Bad Boys II
does have one intriguing gun battle/car
chase that takes place in a parking
garage. A group of Jamaican thugs try
to rip Syd off before she can make a
money drop. With fast cars and guns,
they ambush her and battle two sets
of law enforcement officers. As the
cars barrel down the circular ramps
with guns blazing, your senses are thoroughly
engaged. Otherwise, everything is routine
– car crashes on the highway and
explosions galore! There is some grizzly
violence – i.e., Stromane’s
partner is hacked into pieces –
and some funny stuff – the drug
dealer’s mansion is over run with
giant rats that are eating his money
in the attic! But, Lawrence and Smith's
appearance at a clan rally isn't funny!
Smith should know this because the same
kind of undercover appear fell flat
in Wild, Wild West. Jordi Molla’s
drug lord plans to take all of his money
back to Cuba so it’s alluded that
Castro’s government survives off
of drug money! Politics in a Jerry Bruckheimer
action movie?! Whew!
Will Smith worried that he and Martin
Lawrence might not have the same chemistry.
The chemistry is the same – they
yell at each other during gun battles
– but Marcus has decided to get
a new partner. Marcus is still the nervous
husband and family man and Mike is still
the fun loving bachelor but this time
he’s in love with pretty, feisty
Gabrielle Union (Bring It On, The
Brothers). She’s tough and
sexy in the “girl” role
while equally pretty Theresa Randle
sits along the sidelines with nothing
to do but show her big bust line. Frankly,
this is very tired stuff! And, the finale
in Cuba goes on too long!
Bad Boys II
is a loud, overblown action yarn!
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