Bad Boys for Life. A 2020 American film, again starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, but this time directed by Adil & Bilall instead of Michael Bay. As in the previous installments, Smith and Lawrence have to find and fight some super gangster while Lawrence is trying to get out of this violent line of work.
The change of director doesn't really show: Adil & Bilall do their best to continue Bay's style, up to the direct quotation of a few of Bay's best-known shots. They are a little more patient in their camerawork though; the constant cutting didn't irritate me here like it does in Bay's films. Still, ridiculous explosions galore, everything is glittery and shiny, people look cool at all times, and so on and so forth.
None of that really appeals to me (or not anymore), but we thought we'd give this a chance based on the trailer. And yes, the sort of scenes that have bits end up in the trailer (i.e., the action and comedy) work quite well and are good fun. But the film continuously grinds to a halt between them, trying to add a serious dramatic angle about the reasons Lawrence's character has this time to want to take it easier - and Smith's even has his own thing happen to him. If that carried any real weight or had consequences, it could have added a dimension to the film; but of course, something happens, all reservations are overcome, and they're going all-out again. That isn't a spoiler: it wouldn't be a Bad Boys film if this didn't happen. But given this inevitability, those dramatic interludes just delay the action - and are rather boring as such, and really wear the film down given hoe much time they take up.
So, uneven and too long: 2/5.