Summary
- Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s comedic chemistry is a key reason for the success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
- The movie offers simple pleasures with extreme confidence and charm, appealing to fans of the franchise.
- Some of the best quotes in the film may seem ordinary, but the delivery by Smith and Lawrence make them unforgettable.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are as funny as ever in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and they have plenty of great quotes to prove this. Ride or Die picks up after 2020’s Bad Boys for Life revived the franchise, and it sticks to the same beloved formula. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a hit with fans of the franchise, and it’s also fared surprisingly well at the box office. Smith and Lawrence’s comedic chemistry is a key reason for this success.
The first Bad Boys movie was released in 1995, and Ride or Die is a riotous throwback to an older generation of action blockbusters. It offers simple pleasures, but it does so with extreme confidence and charm. It’s hard not to be drawn to Smith and Lawrence’s charisma, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die complements this with plenty of inventive action sequences. Some of Ride or Die‘s best quotes don’t seem particularly special, but Smith and Lawrence make them hard to forget.
10 “You Need To Deploy.”
Marcus
Reggie has come a long way since his introduction to the Bad Boys franchise. He first appears in Ride or Die at Mike’s wedding, but he only gets a chance to speak when Marcus returns from the hospital after his heart attack. Marcus accuses Reggie of eating his snacks, not realizing that his wife had hidden them after the doctor suggested that Marcus cut down on sugar, salt and fat.
Marcus starts his relationship with Reggie off as a suspicious and protective father. Although Reggie has since become part of his family, he has never dropped the act.
Marcus directs his fury at Reggie, telling him that he needs to get a job. When Reggie reminds him that he’s a U.S. Marine, Marcus has a quick comeback at hand. He is ultimately forced to give up and turn his frustrations elsewhere when Reggie tells him that he has just returned from Yemen. Marcus starts his relationship with Reggie off as a suspicious and protective father. Although Reggie has since become part of his family, he has never dropped the act.
9 “I Shot You In Your Vest, Stop Bitching.”
Mike
Mike and Marcus’ relationship is the cornerstone of every Bad Boys movie. The plot and the villain are relatively immaterial, because fans keep coming back to see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence slinging jokes and kicking ass. Ride or Die gives fans plenty of both, culminating in a tense standoff between Mike and McGrath, with Marcus stuck between the two men. Mike shoots Marcus in his bulletproof vest to get to McGrath.
This dismissive quote also represents how Mike has gotten over the mental block that plagues him throughout
Ride or Die.
Characteristically, Marcus makes a meal of his injury, to the extent that it’s hard to tell if he’s in any real pain at all, or if he’s simply putting on a show. Mike seems to think that he’s perfectly fine as he promptly dismisses him. This risky move is more than just a punchline for the movie to end on. It also represents how Mike has gotten over the mental block that plagues him throughout Ride or Die. Earlier, he refuses to take a clear shot at McGrath because he fears killing a hostage. Later, he is confident enough to back himself.
8 “Y’all Are Some Terrible F*cking Fugitives.”
Armando
One of the best returning characters in Bad Boys: Ride or Die is Armando, the son of Mike who featured as the main antagonist in Bad Boys for Life. Armando gets a shot at redemption in Ride or Die, as he works alongside his father and Marcus to clear Captain Howard’s name and take down the cartel. His criminal know-how ends up being useful to the group when they have to outrun the law.
Armando and Mike’s relationship is one of the most interesting subplots in
Ride or Die.
Armando and Mike’s relationship is one of the most interesting subplots in Ride or Die. Despite everything that they have gone through and Armando’s past crimes, Mike still shows some responsibility and some affection for Armando. With Marcus accompanying the pair, they have an excuse to have a little bit of fun together, too. Armando feels free to crack a joke with the two men, suggesting that he could yet be a part of Mike’s life.
7 “I Can Not Die.”
Marcus
After his near-death experience and his vision of Captain Howard in the afterlife, Marcus adopts a new philosophy. He believes that, since the Captain told him that it isn’t his time, he has become immune to all harm. To demonstrate this fact, he moonwalks into traffic, giggling. Mike hasn’t been privy to the same wisdom from the beyond, so he frantically chases after Marcus and tries to corral traffic.
This is one of many quotes in
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
that would be rather ordinary if not for a brilliant delivery.
This is one of many quotes in Bad Boys: Ride or Die that would be rather ordinary if not for a brilliant delivery. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are both on top form, and it’s a joy to see their dynamic in full flow. Marcus tells Mike that he can’t die as if he is sharing some great spiritual truth that is supposed to blow Mike’s mind. From Mike’s perspective, these are just the ramblings of a man who should still be under observation in the hospital.
6 “How Long You Think Your Brain Went Without Oxygen?”
Mike
Mike has the perfect comeback to shut down most of Marcus’ spiritual talk. After a lengthy and ridiculous monologue from Marcus about how his soul is connected to Mike throughout eternity, Mike suggests with a wonderfully timed quip that Marcus may have suffered more from his heart attack than he fully understands. This doesn’t do much to dissuade Marcus from his nonsensical ideas.
Marcus hasn’t actually been granted any higher knowledge, he’s just saying what he thinks people tend to say after a close brush with death.
Marcus claims that in a previous life together, he and Mike lived as a man and his donkey. A lot of his monologue seems to be drawn from his misremembered and misunderstood ideas of enlightenment philosophy. He hasn’t actually been granted any higher knowledge, he’s just saying what he thinks people tend to say after a close brush with death. Mike knows it’s not worth rebuking his every point, so he simply tries to show Mike that his new ideas aren’t as impressive as he thinks.
5 “Begone Gator, I Rebuke You.”
Marcus
Marcus seems to decide that his fast path to spiritual enlightenment has given him the gift of dominion over all nature. When given the option of reaching down for Mike’s gun to deter a hungry alligator, he chooses instead to issue a command to the alligator. His biblical language really sells his self-righteous pomposity, and it’s another example of how his new philosophy is a lazy remix of older ideas.
It takes being attacked by an alligator and shot in the chest by Mike for Marcus to finally abandon his newfound worldview.
It takes being attacked by an alligator and shot in the chest by Mike for Marcus to finally abandon his newfound worldview. The scene with the alligator is a great comedic moment, as it pits Marcus against a creature who doesn’t have the patience to abide by his ramblings. When met with the harsh reality of a vicious animal, Marcus finally realizes how absurd his epiphany was. By the end of Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Mike and Marcus have both returned to where they began.
4 “It’s A Language Barrier.” “It Was English.”
Marcus and Dorn
Kelly and Dorn both return to the franchise after first appearing in Bad Boys for Life. This time, they have developed a romance in the background, and they are together when Mike and Marcus go to Dorn for help. This is a surprise to the duo, but they don’t see it as any kind of problem. The only issue arises when Armando walks in, since Kelly and Dorn don’t realize that he has become an ally.
Kelly and Dorn both return to the franchise after first appearing in
Bad Boys for Life.
This time, they have developed a romance in the background.
Mike and Marcus get the large majority of Ride or Die‘s funniest jokes, just like they do in every other Bad Boys movie, but Dorn is able to sneak in a good gag. He and Kelly are already on high alert when Armando enters, and the fugitive doesn’t help matters by making a remark about Kelly. Dorn threatens to escalate the situation, but Marcus tries to calm him down. Their brief exchange shows that Marcus isn’t the best person for this job.
3 “He’s Just… I Don’t Know What The F*ck He’s Doing.”
Mike
Marcus is at his most delusional and flighty immediately after he wakes up in the hospital. He walks right past Mike and out down the hallway in his hospital gown. When Mike finally catches up to Marcus on the roof of the hospital, he sees him teetering on the edge with his arms spread wide open. Mike tries to talk Marcus into taking a step back from the precipice, but he isn’t sure how to communicate with his friend in this state.
Will Smith is often at his best when he’s playing the straight man, and Martin Lawrence is a great partner for him.
When a nurse comes to the rooftop to yell at Marcus to step back, Mike naturally tries to handle the situation as best he can, but he can find no real explanation for his friend’s behavior. Will Smith is often at his best when he’s playing the straight man, and Martin Lawrence is a great partner for him. Lawrence is often given a lot of the zanier lines in Bad Boys, but Smith can be just as funny with completely ordinary responses.
2 “I Need Nasty Mike! Bad Boy!”
Marcus
During the climactic showdown at a disused alligator-themed amusement park, Mike finds himself unable to perform to his usual standards. Mike goes on an emotional rollercoaster in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and he needs his partner to snap him out of it. Bad Boys: Ride or Die references Will Smith’s Oscars slap controversy, as Marcus slaps Mike repeatedly in the face to bring him back to the present moment and summon his courage.
The plot gestures toward deeper themes, but ultimately,
Bad Boys
isn’t about character growth as much as it is about two great comedians shooting bad guys.
No line captures the ethos of Bad Boys: Ride or Die better than this one. After Mike’s emotional wobble and Marcus’ health issues, the duo eventually win the day by simply toughing it out and sticking to what they know best. This also describes how Martin Lawrence and Will Smith made a massive success out of the fourth Bad Boys movie. The plot gestures toward deeper themes, but ultimately, Bad Boys isn’t about character growth as much as it is about two great comedians shooting bad guys.
1 “There’s Something Weird In His Eyes. I’m Gonna Make Potato Salad.”
Mike
Bad Boys: Ride or Die ends with Mike and Marcus hosting a cookout with their families. It’s a nice scene that symbolizes a return to normality after another wild adventure. The only difference is that Reggie asserts himself for the first time in the franchise. Reggie is constantly looked down upon by Mike and Marcus, but his unforgettable action scene in Ride or Die proves to them that he may be even more lethal than they are.
Reggie’s solo action sequence is the most eye-catching moment in
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
, and he’s much more than a punch line now.
Mike and Marcus still try their best to dismiss Reggie at the grill, but the young man holds his ground. He doesn’t need to speak any more than he usually does, but Mike and Marcus are painfully aware of what he’s capable of. If there is to be a Bad Boys 5, Reggie should have an important part to play again. His solo action sequence is the most eye-catching moment in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and he’s much more than a punch line now.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the action-comedy film series starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The series centers on hard-boiled Miami detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett, who take on dangerous drug kingpins and thwart dangerous schemes as they attempt to stop the circulation of illicit drugs in their city.
- Director
- Adil El Arbi , Bilall Fallah
- Release Date
- June 7, 2024
- Cast
- Will Smith , Martin Lawrence , Vanessa Hudgens , Alexander Ludwig , Paola Núñez , Eric Dane , Ioan Gruffudd , Tasha Smith
