Bad Boys: Ride Or Die [4K Ultra HD]

Directors: Adil & Bilall

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens

Release Date: September 24, 2024

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 8/10
Disc Rating: 8/10

Synopsis:

The world’s favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your-seat action and outrageous comedy, but this time with a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run. When Captain Howard is unjustly accused of a lifetime of drug-related crimes, the Bad Boys vow to clear his name.

Everyone’s favorite bad boys return in ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ which sees Mike and Marcus facing one of the toughest challenges of their law enforcement careers when they receive a message from their beloved Captain Howard enlisting their help to clear his name after he is accused of working with the cartels, putting his legacy in danger. With some help from Mike’s newfound son, the pair is accused of helping him escape when they are ambushed by crooked armed men and forced to go on the run in order to uncover the proof needed to save Howard’s name and themselves.

Directed once again by Adil & Bilall (Bad Boys For Life, TV’s Ms. Marvel) from a screenplay written by Chris Bremner (Bad Boys for Lie) and Will Beall (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F), Adil & Bilall do a marvelous job returning to the helm for ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ and guiding along the thrilling sequel with fast-paced style, humor and heart. The film’s cast includes numerous new and returning individuals from the franchise and stars Will Smith (King Richard), Martin Lawrence (The Beach Bum), Vanessa Hudgens (Downtown Owl), Alexander Ludwig (TV’s Heels), Paola Nuñez (TV’s The Fall of the House of Usher), Eric Dane (TV’s Euphoria), Ioan Gruffudd (Ava), Melanie Liburd (TV’s Power Book II: Ghost), Tasha Smith (The Deliverance), Jacob Scipio (Expend4bles), Rhea Seehorn (TV’s Better Call Saul), Tiffany Haddish (Haunted Mansion 2023) and Joe Pantoliano (TV’s Tacoma FD) who each contribute generally solid and capable performances in their respective roles.

‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ is a hilarious, action-packed and visually outstanding new chapter in the beloved franchise that sees our favorite duo of Miami cops forced to go on the run when they try to protect Captain Howard’s legacy after he’s falsely accused of being crooked. It stays true to the heart of the series in most respects while borrowing some of the most rewarding aspects from various entries in the series and then taking the intensity, fun and excitement to the next level. The camerawork repeatedly stands out and thanks to some unique camera techniques and shooting methods ends up throwing the viewer into the chaos of these sequences as the camera repeatedly spins, twists and shifts around every angle, scenario and subject and almost feels as if it takes on a life of its own, while also doing a perfect job of aligning with Michael Bay’s techniques and style of the first two films.

Directors Adil & Bilall once again prove that they truly are the best pair to keep this series going and they have a knack for delivering action and humor in a way that stays faithful to the previous films, while often taking the threat level and seriousness of the situations to a slightly more realistic and believable level and the combined result is an absolute blast of a ride that any fan of the franchise won’t even want to consider missing out on. Not only does ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ hold up with the previous three installments, but it’s quite likely one of the very best entries in the series to date, with Smith and Lawrence once again effortlessly falling back into their iconic roles and keeping this series feeling as fresh as ever in most departments.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks outstanding and delivers a sharp, gorgeous and beautifully detailed presentation from start to finish that’s absent of any noticeable issues to be found along the way. Detail and clarity is spectacular and everything from character faces and clothing to the fast moving action sequences, scenery and various other elements within look flawless, while the Dolby Vision HDR does a spectacular job of enhancing it all with more realistic and vibrant colors noticeable throughout which are balanced by deep, clean and rich black levels that never disappoint. Overall, this is a wonderful Ultra High Definition presentation that looks stunning every step of the way and should absolutely thrill fans as well as first time viewers.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is a real treat as well and it serves up a clean, crisp and wildly aggressive audio presentation throughout. It constantly utilizes all seven available channels in order to send a whirlwind of music, bullets, debris, vehicle and nature effects, plus a whole lot more repeatedly zipping throughout the various speakers while never resulting in any dialogue or other audio elements becoming distorted or rendered problematic in the process. Overall, this is a marvelous Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that does a spectacular job of complementing the action and fun throughout.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ features some fun extras, the entirety of which can be found on the release’s included Blu-ray disc, with the exception of a new ‘Post Credit Scene’ which is included on both as it follows the actual film. Included on the Blu-ray disc are a handful of ‘Deleted Scenes’ from the movie (running approximately 7 minutes in length altogether), along with some amusing ‘Outtakes and Bloopers’ (running approximately 3 minutes) and some Behind the Scenes Featurettes featuring interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more; the included Featurettes are ‘Will & Martin: Chemistry, Legacy & Laughs’ (approximately 4 minutes), ‘Fights, Camera, Action’ (4 minutes), ‘Partners in Crime’ (5 minutes) and ‘The Bruckheimer Legacy: Crafting Bad Boys & Beyond’ (4 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Film Rating: 8/10
Disc Rating: 8/10

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‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

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You can purchase ‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

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