Bad Boys (1995)

Directed by Michael Bay. Starring Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Téa Leoni, Tchéky Karyo, Joe Pantoliano, Theresa Randle, Marg Helgenberger, Nestor Serrano, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Michael Imperioli, Karen Alexander, Anna Thompson, Saverio Guerra, Kevin Corrigan. [R]

Hotshot Miami detectives Lawrence and Smith, lifelong friends and partners on the force, take on a standard-issue menacing drug kingpin (Karyo) and his henchmen in this glossy, clichéd actioner. The formula buddy cop stuff is played out in predictable fashion; its lone “inspiration” is ultimately an inconsequential one—due to a case of mistaken identity, family man Lawrence has to swap places with high-living womanizer Smith in order to pull off a charade involving murder witness Leoni (who’s better than the material deserves). The interplay between the leads keeps the picture marginally diverting, and there’s energy and style to spare, but it’s not enough to cover up the lame plotting, and all the showy camera angles and movements merely enhance the slick hollowness of the product. Bay’s feature film directorial debut, which often resembles second-rate Tony Scott lacquer; produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, their first corpse-laden shoot-em-up in almost a decade. Followed by two sequels.

48/100