‘The Bad Guys 2’ Review: Going Good Leads to Huge Heists and Big Laughs

The Bad Guys try to go straight in the upcoming sequel.

2022’s ‘The Bad Guys’ ended with the titular group of would-be baddies officially going good. The whole crew is back for ‘The Bad Guys 2’ and they’re quickly learning that adjusting to a life without crime isn’t all that easy. The animated sequel makes all the right moves: big stakes, bigger laughs, and huge heists.

Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) are now spending their days looking for jobs so they can make a living without resorting to bank robbery or breaking the law. It turns out that, despite good intentions, a criminal history can make the career application process a bit difficult.

Meanwhile, Mr. Snake (Marc Maron) has been off doing his own routine, worrying the rest of the group that he’s secretly committing crimes on his own. The group eventually gets roped into one last mega heist led by a trio of Bad Girls (Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne and Maria Bakalova).

A Franchise Worth Rooting For

I thought ‘The Bad Guys’ was a perfectly adequate film with a smooth animation style back when it was released a few years ago, but I didn’t think that we had a big new animated franchise on our hands. However, ‘The Bad Guys 2’ brings back that same style, along with director Pierre Perifel and the original stellar voice cast, and manages to win me over and keep me rooting for future installments. The action scenes are imaginative and explosive, and the newly added characters were enjoyable in their own right. The ending even sets up a potential future threequel that seems fun in premise.

The film has some humor that will go over the kids’ heads, such as a reference comparing an imprisoned guinea pig to Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, but it also has a piranha passing gas in a space suit…so there’s something for everyone. And one could easily point out the flaws in the plan of the villains to steal the world’s entire supply of gold, but the movie isn’t asking anyone to think that hard about it. The pacing isn’t always perfect, but when the action sequences are moving, the movie is a blast.

Verdict

‘The Bad Guys 2’ capitalizes on the first movie, upping the ante with bigger action and taking advantage of a fun and diverse cast. While not perfect, it’s an entertaining and pleasurable experience for the whole family.