The Bad Guys 2 review

THE BAD GUYS 2: 

BAD GUYS GONE GOOD RETURN IN SUPER-FUN, SUPER-BAD SECOND HEIST! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

Piranha, Tarantula, Shark, Wolf, and “The Bad Girls” in The Bad Guys 2

 

            Everyone’s favorite anthropomorphic ex-cons are back in The Bad Guys 2, the latest film from DreamWorks Animation and follow-up to their 2022 animated hit, The Bad Guys based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Aaron Blabey. Having not read the original comics, I thoroughly enjoyed the first Bad Guys and found it to be a very funny and clever homage to heist films (Particularly the works of Steven Soderbergh like the Ocean’s trilogy) with tons of nods and references to the genre sprinkled throughout. 

            Sure, it isn’t a cinematic game-changer like Shrek or an emotional rollercoaster like the Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon films, it’s just a really funny comedy and despite being aimed at kids, the film works tremendously well as a heist movie. On top of that, a gorgeous visual style reminiscent of a stylized graphic novel which is very fitting given the source material. 

            Entertaining movie and one of two wins for DreamWorks that year (The other being Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) so, now we have a sequel with the original voice cast returning and Pierre Perifel (Bilby) back in the director’s chair. I was onboard for a second Bad Guys film though I wasn’t exactly hyped for it or anything, it seemed like another fun homage to heist movies with the Bad Guys (Now “Good”) tricking a new group of criminals into sabotaging a heist after enlisting their help. 

            Yeah, The Bad Guys 2 gave me exactly what I was expecting which isn’t a bad thing at all. I found this movie consistently hilarious and like the first, it’s a well-executed heist film though I personally felt the first had a much tighter storyline where this one goes into space (Literally). Granted, I take the Bad Guys going into space more seriously than Dominic Toretto and his crew in F9, but I digress. 

            The film follows reformed ex-cons, Mr. Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell-The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Moon, Marvel Cinematic Universe), Mr. Snake (voiced by Marc Maron-Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, DC League of Super-Pets, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere), Mr. Shark (voiced by Craig Robinson-The Office, Hot Tub Time Machine 1 and 2, This is the End), Mr. Piranha (voiced by Anthony Ramos-In the Heights, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Twisters), and Ms. Tarantula (voiced by Awkwafina-Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, Raya and the Last Dragon) struggling to fit into society given their checkered pasts. But after a series of crimes result in the Bad Guys being framed and the city turning against them, they soon find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist masterminded by a new group of criminals, The Bad Girls, Kitty Kat (voiced by Danielle Brooks-Orange Is the New Black, The Color Purple (2023), A Minecraft Movie), Doom (voiced by Natasha Lyonne-Orange Is the New Black, Smurfs (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps), and Pigtail Petrova (voiced by Maria Bakalova-Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Apprentice). 

            The film also features the voices of Zazie Beetz (Atlanta, Deadpool 2, Joker) reprising her role as Governor Diane Foxington/The Crimson Paw, Alex Borstein (Family Guy, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) reprising her role as Commissioner Misty Luggins, and Richard Ayoade (Submarine, Soul, The Phoenician Scheme) reprising his role as Professor Marmalade. 

            Overall, The Bad Guys 2 offers another funny, visually dazzling, and gripping second caper with Wolf and the gang that goes big and absurd while still retaining that sly mischief we all come to expect from these reformed “Bad Guys”. Compared to other family-oriented (theatrical) releases this summer, this is easily the best movie out now for parents to take their kids to because it entertains on both levels with fast-paced action and silly gags for the kids and witty dialogue and homages to beloved heist and crime movies for adults. 

            The movie does prioritize its action and humor over the story which isn’t exactly a strike against it as it excels at both with one of my favorite moments being a sequence where the Bad Guys are stuck to a super magnet and has to stop a computer from uploading a precious file to the public which is as creative as it is funny. But I felt the first film had a more focused narrative with the Bad Guys trying to turn over a new leaf and become “Good” which made their redemption more impactful. 

This one is just a really funny and action-packed heist-comedy about the Bad Guys trying to prove that they’re still good after being put in a position where they’re seen as bad again. Again, it doesn’t mean this is a bad film as I was laughing hard and invested in what was going on, I personally just favor the plot of the first movie more. 

            Like the first, the animation is still excellent and captures that stylized graphic novel look of the source material and yes, that Spider-Verse influence shines through again. Characters react in different animation styles, flashy effects during action scenes, and cartoony slapstick, this along with the first film’s animation makes me want to check out the original books sometime, they seem very artistically pleasing if they’re anything like the movies that spawned from them. 

            The Bad Guys 2 is one of DreamWorks’ better animated features and a solid follow-up to a very entertaining film. Compared to Elio, Smurfs, and the live-action versions of Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, Wolf and his crew easily stole their thunder and they won’t be giving it back anytime soon.