Movie · 1995 · Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller · 1h 59m · R · English
Curator score: 2.3/10 (617.9K ratings)
Whatcha gonna do?
Overview
Marcus Burnett is a henpecked family man. Mike Lowrey is a footloose and fancy free ladies' man. Both Miami policemen, they have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station's nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.3/10
IMDb: 6.8/10
Letterboxd: 3.27/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 46%
Metacritic: 41
TMDB: 6.8/10
Director
Michael Bay
Production
Columbia Pictures, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Cast
Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Téa Leoni, Tchéky Karyo, Joe Pantoliano, Theresa Randle, Marg Helgenberger, Nestor Serrano, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Saverio Guerra, Anna Thomson, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Imperioli, Lisa Boyle, Michael Taliferro, Emmanuel Xuereb, Marc Macaulay, Ralph Gonzalez, Vic Manni, Frank John Hughes
Curator Review
Verdict
A loud, glossy buddy-cop romp with real star chemistry and an early glimpse of Michael Bay’s signature style. The plot is thin and often silly, but the movie’s energy, banter, and action set pieces make it an easy watch if you’re in the mood for swagger over logic.
Best for
fans of 90s action-comedies
viewers who like buddy-cop chemistry
people curious about early Michael Bay style
audiences who enjoy flashy, high-energy blockbusters
Skip if
you want tightly written crime plotting
you’re sensitive to sexist or juvenile humor
you prefer grounded action over excess
you dislike broad, macho comedy
Overview
Bad Boys is less about the mystery than the momentum. The setup is pure studio-era action-comedy: two mismatched cops, a ticking clock, and enough attitude to power the whole movie. What gives it lift is the chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, who make the bickering feel like a real comic engine rather than just a script requirement.
Worth noting
Michael Bay arrives already leaning into the glossy, hyperactive style that would define his career. Even when the story is flimsy and the character work is shallow, the film keeps finding ways to look bigger, louder, and more expensive than it probably was. The action has a brash confidence, and the movie understands that momentum can cover a lot of sins.
Bottom line
It’s also very much a product of its era, for better and worse. The humor can be juvenile and the gender politics are rough, but if you can accept that as part of the package, there’s a genuinely entertaining rhythm to it. As a star vehicle and a calling card for a future blockbuster director, it still lands as a watchable, if uneven, piece of 90s studio entertainment.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Patrick Willems (3★) · 2002 likes
There's a moment in the scene where Will Smith chases down a speeding SUV on foot where you can witness Michael Bay being born. I applauded, alone in my living room.
adambolt (2.5★) · 1202 likes
the secondhand embarrassment i feel for women in michael bay movies
matt lynch (2★) · 779 likes
You can feel Bay struggling to make a real movie out of this.
comrade_yui (4★) · 687 likes
michael bay makes a low budget buddy cop film look like one of the most expensive and stylish blockbusters of the 90s, while most action directors today can barely muster enough style to look slightly better than television.
liam f (3★) · 613 likes
every now and then, it's quite refreshing to watch a film where every single character is an idiot
1997 · Action, Crime, Science Fiction · 2h 19m · R · Curator 6.2/10 (728.5K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus
A wild identity-swap action thriller that leans into operatic style and outrageous momentum.