WhenBad Boys for Lifehit cinemas in January 2020, fans had waited 18 years to seeWill SmithandMartin Lawrencereteam as the kick-ass pair of detectives matching wits against drug dealers on the streets of Miami. Their return to the popular franchise brought a sense of growth and maturity far from the mindless MTV-style entertainment brought byMichael Bayin the first two installments. Despite the massive success of 1995’sBad Boysand its 2003 sequelBad Boys II,fans were puzzled over why Bay did not return for the threequel.
Though critics have been less than kind to the iconic action director, Bay has been swimming in cash for decades thanks to the success of not onlyBad Boysbut also theTransformerscinematic franchise. Hits such asThe Rock,Armageddon, andPearl Harborushered in a new visual language for action movies called ‘Bayhem’, known primarily for the director’s eye for big explosions, larger-than-life characters, and plenty of eye candy in exotic cars and beautiful women. The more successful he became, the bigger his paychecks.Economics would eventually rule the day forBad Boysto progress on various levels.
1995’sBad Boyswas the launchpad for the careers of Smith, Lawrence, and director Bay. The former two were sitcom stars commercially unproven at the box office, while the latter had already carved out a steady career in music videos and commercials. As Bay toldEntertainment Weeklyin 2022, Sony executives “didn’t believe in the movie, because two Black actors don’t sell overseas”. The little action programmer that could have been easily dismissed as aLethal Weaponknockoff became a superstar turn for its leads. However, its success can also be attributed to a novice director who relied on his music video and commercial background toshoot fast, manage egos, and use his visual techniques to make a low-budget action comedy into aJames Cameron-sized blockbuster.
In the years afterBad Boys’ success at the box office, the careers of Smith, Lawrence, and Bay had reached all-time highs. As their successes grew, so did their salaries. Hardball negotiations over paydays and waiting for a good screenplay to come along caused an eight-year gap between the inaugural 1995 installment andBad Boys II. The sequel wasloaded with a$130 million budgetin contrast to the original’s $23 million, which allowed Bay to pull offa larger spectaclethan previously, but resulting in less profits. The excessive violence and two-hour-plus running time were slammed by critics, landing a 24% rotten rating onRotten Tomatoes. Regardless of the critics, Bay had the clout to fulfill his grand vision forBad Boyswithout budgetary constraints.
Once Bay hit pay dirt withTransformersin 2007 and got busy with the sequels for the next ten years,it became virtually impossible for Sony to afford everyone for what would becomeBad Boys for Life,despiteSmith’s persistencein getting the director to return. As much as Bayhem was missed in the third and fourth installments, his absence allowed the franchise to mature with its stars under the direction ofAdil El ArbiandBilall Fallah. The duo not only found the visual cues to pay homage to Bay, butthey also put the story first before the action and eye candy, emphasizing the life revelations of Smith’s Mike Lowery, while Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett settles into being a grandparent with mortality always on his mind.
Just because Bay was no longer at the helm does not mean he was fully closed off from the franchise, however. He made a cameo inBad Boys for Lifeto emcee Marcus’ daughter’s wedding, with the camera spinning around 360 degrees in his cinematic style. Then he made a quick cameo inBad Boys: Ride or Dieas a Porsche driver yelling at the comedic duo, a subtle homage to his driver cameo inBad Boys II. Though it’s likely he will sit out directing a potentialBad Boys 5, Bay plans to reunite with Smith for the Netflix action filmFast And Loose. Despite Bay’s absence from theBad Boysdirector’s chair, his love for the franchise and its stars remains.
Bad Boys for Life
