When I saw The Bad Guys, the original movie, I loved the animation, the voice acting and the heists. So when I heard about the sequel, I was excited to see if the writing would be as good as the original. The Bad Guys 2 is explosive, action packed and twice as fun as the original. All the original cast is back with some great new additions and I loved the heists even more in The Bad Guys 2. 

The Bad Guys 2 is a heist action comedy film, sequel to The Bad Guys, it was directed by Pierre Perifel, co-directed by JP Sans and written by Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen. Taking place after The Bad Guys have gotten out of jail, the group are attempting to fit into society. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Shark (Craig Robinson), Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Webs (Awkwafina) unsuccessfully attempt to get jobs while Snake (Marc Maron) is usually away from home. Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) inspires Wolf to give people a chance to accept them so he offers his help to now Commissioner Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein) track down the Phantom Bandit, a new criminal. The trail leads them to Snake and his new girlfriend Susan (Natasha Lyonne) after which the group are framed for the thefts. With the entire city after them, they soon are blackmailed into helping the real criminals, Kitty (Danielle Brooks), Pigtail (Maria Bakalova) and Doom if they don’t want Diane’s past coming back to haunt her. The gang must find a way to capture the criminals without exposing Diane and save their tattered reputations but will Wolf manage to outwit Kitty or will Kitty’s plans to steal the world’s gold win out? The film also stars Richard Ayoade as Marmalade. 

One of the best features of this movie is the multi-layered writing. While the comedy is fantastic, it is the heartfelt message of hope that will resonate long past the humor. The film doesn’t sugarcoat how difficult it is for reformed criminals to get work and respect. The film does a great job of showing that it is possible but that it entails earning others respect. And even then it can be an uphill battle, in real life and in this movie. While the temptations surround the Bad Guys, Wolf and the others resist falling back into their bad ways and keep trying to make good choices, a lesson both adults and children will appreciate.

The comedy is gold. From the love story between Snake and Susan/Doom, a raven to Shark continually messing up, the jokes will keep you laughing. There are scenes throughout that kept me laughing, cops piled on to one bike, the horrible blue car that Wolf ends up driving after the first movie, Diane beating Wolf in their workouts, and the group continually calling Misty Chief instead of Commissioner. The comedy is one of the best aspects of the film. I do recommend looking up a McGuffin because it will make several scenes even funnier if you know the reference. 

Getting the original cast back for the movie was critical. Sam Rockwell is smart, easy to empathize with and plays Wolf with heart and style. Craig Robinson and Anthony Ramos are hilarious as Shark and Piranha. I love the sassiness of Awkafina as Webs. Marc Maron as lovestruck Snake is fantastic. Danielle Brooks as Kitty Kat has just the right touch of bad and shady morals. Maria Bakalova as Pigtail plays the character as a super fan and it is a lovely performance. Natasha Lyonne as Susan/Doom is funny and a bit terrifying, the perfect match for Snake. Zazie Beetz and Alex Borstein reprise the roles and both bring heart and warmth to the roles. Richard Ayoade is demented and fun. 

If I nitpick anything, it’s that given the movie is an animated film meant for the whole family, there is more than a bit of predictability to the storyline. The heist scenes do go over the top but are so much fun, I don’t care. The film is so funny and full of heart as Wolf and the Bad Guys figure out being good guys, that everything is even more explosive and fun than the first movie. 

If you loved the first The Bad Guys, I really recommend the sequel. It is twice the fun, with a powerful message of hope and earning respect. The comedy is off the charts good, the performances are hilarious and even the music is super lively and fits the vibe of the movie. If you are a big kid or you have kids, this one is definitely a must see. The Bad Guys 2 is explosive action and fun. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 lollipops. 

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