The Bad Guys Review: Over-the-Top and Super Fun!
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Damn, my throat practically went hoarse from laughing out loud while watching ‘The Bad Guys’, what a hoot this film is! I really have nothing negative to say about it, except that the animation could’ve been a little better, but that’s about it.
Directed by Pierre Perifel (he has worked on the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ movies), the story centers on a crew of notorious criminals who choose to reform, or at least fake it, to avoid prison time. The titular “Bad Guys” include the cunning Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell), grumpy loner Snake (Marc Maron), goofy troublemaker Piranha (Anthony Ramos), master of disguise Shark (Craig Robinson), and tech-savvy hacker Tarantula (Awkwafina).
This film is pure, exaggerated fun, packed with quirky characters voiced to perfection. It kicks off with the crew robbing a bank in broad daylight, followed by a wild chase with an army of cops, during which most of the stolen cash ends up flying into the air. The whole thing feels less like a serious heist and more like a thrill-seeking joyride. The ‘Bad Guys’ crew is all about having a laugh, and their friendship is adorable.
The new mayor in town, a fox named Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), downplays their infamy in a TV interview, bruising Wolf’s ego. Determined to prove her wrong, he hatches a plan to pull off a heist no one has ever succeeded at. But when “The Bad Guys” fail and face serious jail time, they launch a sham transformation into “good guys” to save themselves. But what if these villains find out that being heroes is its own kind of thrill? Wolf might be game to change for real, but best friend Snake isn’t buying it.
The animation is colorful and cutesy, though not as glossy or detailed as animation enthusiasts might hope, but for a kids’ film, it’s more than engaging enough. Add to that, the background music is great! I especially enjoyed the over-the-top, nonsensical moments, like the snake regurgitating a clock to check the time or a character whipping out a bike from their pocket to join a chase. They make absolutely no sense, but they’re hilarious. That’s how whimsically fun animated films for kids should be.
Besides, ‘The Bad Guys’ does pack a message: that being a criminal might be fun, but helping people out and being the ‘good guy’ feels better!
Rating: 9 on 10!
‘The Bad Guys’ is on JioHotstar/Zee5 or rent it on Prime.
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