Old-school cops team up to take down the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel. A film by Adil & Bilall, starring Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Theresa Randle, Joe Pantoliano, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nuñez, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, and Jacob Scipio.

Set in 2020, the plot follows Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo), the widow of a deceased crime lord named Benito. She escapes prison with help from her son Armando (Jacob Scipio) and sends him to retrieve money hidden at sea. Isabel then orchestrates a revenge plan against those involved in her arrest, including Mike Lowrey.

Alongside the returning duo of Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), a new team joins the fun: Rita (Paola Nuñez), Kelly (Vanessa Hudgens), Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), and Rafe (Charles Melton).

Directed by Belgian filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, BAD BOYS for Life is the sequel to BAD BOYS II (2003) and the third installment in the Bad Boys franchise, with the first two directed by Michael Bay.

“BAD BOYS for Life” is an entertaining action film with a well-written script, worth watching in cinemas. It’s probably the most enjoyable entry in the series, featuring several memorable and intense scenes.

The new directors bring a fresh perspective, avoiding the typical explosion-heavy style of Michael Bay. The supporting character Manny the Butcher (DJ Khaled) is also a nice addition.

Armando’s character is incredibly skilled in both close combat and sniping, though it’s quite hard to imagine where he received such training. In one-on-one or two-on-one fights against Mike and Marcus, he seems unbeatable. While not as well-developed as Isabel’s character, it’s good that Armando is being set up for future installments, which builds anticipation for the next film.

The original “BAD BOYS,” released in 1995, was a commercial success, grossing $141 million on a $19 million budget and receiving fairly positive reviews. The sequel, “BAD BOYS II,” hit theaters in 2003 with a hefty $130 million budget, thanks to the first film’s profitability. However, it received poor reviews and made $273.3 million. (Usually, a film needs to make twice its budget to break even, meaning it should earn at least 2.5 to 3 times its budget to be considered profitable.)

The third film project began shortly after the second’s release, with Michael Bay initially set to return. However, the combined fees for Bay and Will Smith were too high for the studio. After several changes in writers and directors, the project was finally announced in 2018 and filming began in 2019.

BAD BOYS for Life was theatrically released in the United States on 17 January 2020.