Blu-Ray Review: “The Bad Guys 2” is the Heist Movie of the Year
The Bad Guys are back in town and now available on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray. The Bad Guys 2 is the follow-up sequel to the 2022 box office surprise and it’s no sophomore slump. Enough of a kid-focused film to hold their attention while also being interesting enough (and short enough) to keep adults engaged, The Bad Guys 2 makes an excellent addition to your Blu-Ray collection. Much like the first film and the children’s book by Aaron Blabey the sequel is based on, The Bad Guys 2 offers a tale of friendship wrapped in a heist movie that rivals the greats.
After the events of the first film, where the Bad Guys crew turned themselves in, the gang are adapting to life as law-abiding civilians. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Tarantula (Awkwafina), Shark (Craig Robinson), and Pirhanha (Anthony Ramos) are trying to enter the workforce, but are finding it a little difficult to explain the gaps in their resumes. The last member of the team, Snake (Marc Maron), has taken a more zen approach, spending his days doing yoga. The gang wants to prove that they’ve changed their ways, but no one seems to believe them. When they’re framed for a string of robberies of MacGuffinite artifacts, the Bad Guys decide to solve the case themselves. With the support of the governor (Zazie Beetz) and the begrudging assistance of the police commissioner (Alex Borstein), the Bad Guys are going good.
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
Apologies to Tom Cruise, but Ethan Hunt can’t compete with the adventure of a farting snake in space. Speaking of space, it took the Fast and Furious franchise nine movies to break the barrier, but the Bad Guys did it in two. At their core, all heist or adventure movies are built around set pieces. These are the thrilling scenes of action where Tom Cruise launches himself off a cliff on a motorcycle, or Nicolas Cage and his crew steal the Declaration of Independence. The best version of this genre has enough plot to make these set pieces feel purposeful, but not so much plot that the viewer gets bogged down in exposition. An exhilarating set piece is what people are paying to see, but the moments in between have to be worth something too. The Bad Guys 2 provides imaginative set pieces while it balances the development of these characters. We understand what the stakes are from the viewpoint of the heist, but we also know the personalities of these characters and what they want to achieve beyond their life of crime.
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
To create a film that’s geared toward kids but still provides a pleasurable viewing experience for adults is immensely difficult. Skew too far one way or the other and you lose an essential part of the audience. This type of film needs positive word of mouth from kids and adults, which is like asking for a miracle. In recent years, DreamWorks Animation has proven that it has a pulse on these two groups. Last year’s The Wild Robot and 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish were critically celebrated for their visual look as well as their stories. There have been other recent DreamWorks Animation films that didn’t garner the same accolades, but there’s an excitement swirling around the studio that’s similar to the way people used to talk about Pixar and Disney. The Bad Guys 2 avoids the usual pitfalls of a sequel by telling a story that actually has something new to say for its characters. Not to mention, the animation of this follow-up is gorgeous. The space sequence in particular offers quite a lot of eye candy as our characters hurtle and tumble through the cosmos. While primarily three-dimensional, The Bad Guys 2 slips into rare two-dimensional moments that add texture and variety to the film.
The end of The Bad Guys 2 expands the world of these good guys in a way that leaves the door open for a sequel, but not in a shoehorned way. That’s one of the most charming aspects of the film. It knows it could continue on until we’re all exhausted by these characters, but The Bad Guys 2 consistently earns its next film. There’s a real focus on story that makes these movies craveable, so the audience is begging for more. The Bad Guys 2 is a heist flick for the entire family, one that proves that the Bad Guys are actually pretty good.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES WHEN PURCHASING AT PARTICIPATING RETAILERS:
LITTLE LIES AND ALIBIS: In this animated short, the Bad Guys recount their chaotic day to their parole officer after arriving 10 minutes late to their hearing.
Deleted Scenes with Introductions by Director Pierre Perifel and Co-Director JP Sans: Lowrider Chase, Crime Sisters
BAD GUYS: Out of Line: Step into the studio with the cast as they record some of their silliest lines in this hilarious montage of recording booth moments!
Double Jeopardy: The Making of THE BAD GUYS 2: Cast and filmmakers unveil their master plan to bring the Bad Guys back together for another epic heist!
Meet the Gang: The gang is back together! Catch up with the all-star cast behind your favorite Bad Guys and meet the Bad Girls!
Double Trouble: The Animals Behind THE BAD GUYS 2: The cast of THE BAD GUYS 2meet the real-life animal versions of their characters!
Causing a Scene: Learn how the film’s adrenaline pumping action sequences came to life!
Planning the Heist: Director Pierre Perifel and Co-Director JP Sans break down how they devised the elaborate Lucha Heist in this hilarious show and tell!
Sketching the Bad Girls: A crime has been committed and the suspects are…the Bad Girls! Co-Director JP Sans (witness to the incident) gives a description of each of the suspects to the detective, Producer Damon Ross, and the sketch artist, Director Pierre Perifel, who shows how to draw them yourself!
Feature Commentary with Director Pierre Perifel, Co-Director JP Sans, Head of Character Animation Benjamin Willis, Head of Story Katherine de Vries, and Head of Cinematography, Layout Théophile Bondoux
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