The Bad Guys 2

The Bad Guys are back in a sequel that amplifies everything that audiences loved about the first one, without losing its charm. The first movie, released in 2022, confirmed an upwards trend for DreamWorks, coming from a few years of so-so releases and franchises that didn't really find their footing like The Boss Baby or The Croods.

That same year, the critically loved Puss in Boots: The Last Wish also released in theatres. While The Bad Guys didn't receive the same widespread critical acclaim - due perhaps to a more frivolous premise and childish look - it still connected with audiences big and small as an undisguised parody of the Ocean's Eleven movies, the quintessence of the modern heist movie, with an appropriate amount of pop culture references, lovable characters, and a stylish and vigorous animated style.

For their second adventure, the band of former criminals, now reformed into good guys, struggle to make a living as society is not as open minded as they hoped they would be, and are not willing to give them a second chance. Of course, the thought of going back to their criminal roots is addressed, but very briefly, as the movie doesn't forget it is primarily aimed at children, giving little room for moral ambiguity.

Those are perhaps the trickiest waters this whole franchise (aimed at children but starring criminals) has to navigate, as realistically they couldn't push too far into those very interesting ideas about the failure of the economic system without causing outrage from angry parents about a cartoon instilling anarchist ideas on their children. Instead, they keep it safe, opting to reduce as many similarities with the real word as possible (you can tell that they were at one point planning on making a parody on Elon Musk, but end up blurring it so much that it gets disappointingly vague), and focus on the pure, harmless fun, with huge chases and action scenes.

Like in the first movie, the best quality of The Bad Guys 2 is the cast of characters, with distinctive characterisation and well developed personalities. With so many of them and a limited runtime, few of them get a solid narrative arc, but the ones that don't still get at least one or two fun moments in the spotlight, so that none feel wasted and every single one feels essential to the band and therefore to the movie. The friendship and loyalty of the protagonist quintet ends up being the lesson they want to teach to the younger audiences: with teamwork and loyalty you can face any adversity.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, DreamWorks takes note from another popular movie franchise originally based on criminals who become "good guys", Fast and Furious. In more ways than one, but mostly about how a group of extremely talented individuals can use their skills for good instead of stealing: fighting a worse group of criminals. This time, they face an all-female gang with Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, and Natasha Lyonne (joining the star-studded cast that also includes Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, and Zazie Beetz), with a bonkers plan that unfolds in a third act that, I have to admit, blew my mind. Some of my favourite action scenes of the year from a movie not named Mission: Impossible may be here, including a space heist that would make Tom Cruise jealous.

The charismatic characters and the cleverness of the plot are propelled to greater heights by the animated style, with many tricks and visual gags making good use of the animal bodies of the cast (the Snake and the Tarantula are my favourites), and the enthusiastic directing and agile editing. All of that make The Bad Guys 2 a great sequel: it's not the most transcendental animated movie of the year, and it may lack the shock factor of the first one, but it is equally fun and entertaining. A third film will surely come, and it will be welcomed.