"The Bad Guys" didn't really shake anything up to stand out from the crowded animated genre. But what it offered was a solid mix of everything that's good from other already great modern animated films. And while it had a tendency to come off as generic and predictable at times, the overall package was extremely fun and funny and its younger target audience will none be the wiser to its flaws.
The Bad Guys are a notorious and infamous crime group that has set their eyes on stealing the Golden Dolphin Award Trophy - believing that pulling off the heist will cement the group's legacy. The group is composed of the charming pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), the short-fused muscle Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), aka “Webs.” The heist goes well at first but when Mr. Wolf is forced to save an old lady, he is stricken by a feeling he has never felt before. When doing good turns out to be rewarding, can the bad guys become good guys for real?
In recent years, the actual in animation films have really stood out. With the likes of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", animated films are blurring the lines between looking really fake to actually feeling like the real deal. "The Bad Guys" was pretty close to doing the same thing but it was a little bit short when it came to its visual quality and clarity. Some scenes looked stunning and crisp while some looked like it lacked polish. This was mostly evident on the close-up shots of our characters. This good but not great approach was pretty consistent on the other aspects of the film. From its script (which was funny most of the way) to its story (which had its fair share of surprises but generic overall) to its characters (which had stand outs like Mr. Fox and Governor Diane) to its voice cast performances (our easy favorite was Sam Rockwell with Awkwafina a huge disappointment), it was good but nothing amazing. But the silver lining here was that the film never took itself too seriously and most audiences, young and old, will probably take "The Bad Guys" as a light and no-nonsense experience for the whole family. In that context and space, this film is an instant recommend.
Rating: 3 and a half reels
Why you should watch it:
- brisk, fun, and funny
- a wholesome and light experience perfect for a family get-together with younger kids in tow
Why you shouldn't watch it:
- doesn't really attempt anything to stand out or be better than good.
The Bad Guys Movie Review: A Heist Film for the Family
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