'The Bad Guys 2' Offers Thoughts with its Laughs
It may not be a classic by any means, but it's satisfying enough to please viewers of all ages. The Bad Guys 2 is fun, creative, and a little redundant, but overall, it avoids the cliches of most animated films. The movie isn't about family. We don't have characters with deceased or estranged parents. Also, they're talking animals. Everyone's an adult and is efficient at their job. The Bad Guys used to be bank robbers. At least I think so. I haven't seen the first movie. Now they're living the lives of Good Guys, doing work to keep citizens safe. The movie has a kid's plot with a certain undertone of redemption that everyone will get, but is not prevalent in most kids' films.
The movie begins five years in the past, in Cairo, Egypt, immediately reminding me of the opening to Team America: World Police. There's a great chase sequence that features angles that could be used in a live-action film. But it would look fake. The movie then cuts to the current day, where The Good Guys are having difficulty finding work. Despite their heroism, the Good Guys' past as criminals makes them undesirable hires.
One particularly smart sequence is when the film's protagonist, Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), opens up after a failed job interview. The Hiring Manager reciprocates with compassion, allowing him a chance at the company. When Mr. Fox re-enters the room, he finds the Hiring Manager shredding his resume. The scene is funny, touching, and sad all at the same time. However, some gags are cheap. One continuous joke involves Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) nervously passing gas while trapped in a spacesuit with Mr. Snake (Mark Maron). Yet the movie makes up for lame jokes when it refers to the MacGuffin device as the MacGuffin within the movie itself. The writers know all the plot setups in thrillers are the same, so why not mock them?
If you're afraid of not knowing who's who, then it might be a good idea to check out the first film. It's not a necessity by any means, but something that had me asking questions like, Why is Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) the Governor? She comes off as just another one of the Good Guys. Also, I guess one of the Good Guys was the antagonist in the last film? Although I don't need to know this information, a little clarity would have been helpful.
The plot doesn't really start until midway through the second act. When the Good Guys meet Kitty (Danielle Brooks), they are forced into doing one more job as Bad Guys. A grand heist that goes all the way out to outer space. Why does it take this long for the plot to actually get moving? One could argue that it's to develop the characters, but there's not much development to be seen. Mr. Fox comes off as suave from the beginning to the end of the film. He has a heroic arc, but it's nothing dissimilar from what I could guess he does in the first film. So, how does he really change? Many of the characters who may have been previously developed use up screen time to deliver punchlines with not much else. Luckily, the voice cast brings a lot of life to the characters who could have been overperformed but aren't.
The Bad Guys 2 comes back with enough creativity to warrant a successful heist. There are some jokes that the adults may laugh at more than the kids. Especially one that had me bust out a loud chuckle while a couple of kids behind me were wimpering in trauma. For being a kids' film, The Bad Guys 2 exhibits a surprising level of maturity that sets it apart from the typical children's animated flick. If only the second act weren't such a drag, The Bad Guys 2 would get a higher rating. Don't let the three Guinnesses below fool you; this is a worthy animated film to take your kids to, in case they don't want to see The Naked Gun this week.
