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Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Movie

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

2024 • Action, Adventure, Comedy

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

When their late police captain gets linked to drug cartels, wisecracking Miami cops Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett embark on a dangerous mission to clear his name.

Overall Series Review

Bad Boys: Ride or Die remains focused on the long-established buddy-cop action and comedy formula of the franchise. The plot is a straightforward crime thriller where the two veteran detectives fight to clear their late captain's name from a corruption frame-up, necessitating that they go rogue. Personal issues, such as Mike's panic attacks and Marcus's new spirituality after a near-death experience, are central to the characters' growth, not external social themes. The narrative avoids political lecturing, instead centering on the themes of loyalty, friendship, and moral truth. The film delivers explosive action and maintains the traditional dynamic, with no discernible attempt to inject contemporary social or sexual ideology into the core storyline.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics3/10

The central mission is to clear the good name of the white captain, establishing a meritocratic bond and loyalty over racial considerations. The primary villains are white conspirators within law enforcement, which is a trope of institutional corruption, but it is not framed as a critique of 'whiteness' or systemic oppression, as the heroes (both Black) actively defend the honor of their former white boss. Casting is diverse but follows the established tone of the Miami-based series.

Oikophobia2/10

The heroes are two law enforcement officers who fight to restore the reputation of their police captain and expose corruption within their organization. The plot does not attack Western civilization, the police institution, or American heritage as fundamentally wicked. Instead, it affirms the ideal of a moral and just institution by showing the main characters' dedication to restoring its integrity against internal bad actors.

Feminism3/10

The female character Rita is promoted to Captain, a high-ranking position, which introduces a 'Girl Boss' element. However, the emotional and physical heavy lifting of the plot is handled by the male leads and Mike's son. Mike also gets married, affirming a commitment to the nuclear unit. The film's overall sexual presentation in club scenes also leans towards traditional male-gaze objectification, mitigating a high 'Girl Boss' score and suggesting a non-feminist approach.

LGBTQ+1/10

The film focuses entirely on normative male-female relationships, such as Mike's marriage and Marcus's wife. There are no identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or plotlines and no explicit or implicit deconstruction of the nuclear family. Sexuality remains a private background element of the lead characters' lives.

Anti-Theism3/10

Marcus develops a goofy, non-denominational 'spirituality' after a near-death experience, which is primarily a comedic plot device. This element is not anti-theistic. The core of the conflict is the pursuit of objective truth and justice—clearing an innocent man's name—which is aligned with a transcendent moral framework, not moral relativism.