BAD BOYS FOR LIFE

ACTORS/ACTRESSES

Release date: January 17 Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Paola Núñez Director: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Black) Why it’s worth watching: In what hasn't exactly been a great year for action movies so far, Bad Boys for Life has to be the biggest surprise. Given its lengthy production history, its January release date, and the departure of series director Michael Bay—the action auteur gets a winking cameo here, perhaps taking a break from shooting Netflix's 6 Underground—this movie could've been a disaster. Instead, Smith and Lawrence easily slip back into the roles that made them action movie icons in the '90s and the writers find a way to update the garish, over-the-top aesthetic of the series for the franchise era. In a wise decision, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah don't even bother trying to top the excess and mayhem of Bay's Bad Boys II. Bad Boys For Life is a gentler, sillier movie than its predecessor, less interested in moments of vulgarity than in scenes of sitcom-like human connection and familial melodrama. There are explosions and car chases through the streets of Miami and jokes about getting too old for this shit, but the material is given a light touch that lets the two stars do what they do best. Where to watch: Rent on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube (Watch the trailer)