The Bad Guys 2 (Christian Movie Review)
The Bad Guys 2 is a total blast, a briskly paced sequel that goes big without losing the heart that made the original film so enjoyable.
About the Film
The Bad Guys aren’t so bad anymore. That’s admirable for them, but audiences may wonder if there’s any storytelling juice left to squeeze out of a series about bad guys who are no longer bad. Thankfully, the wildly popular source material currently sits at 20 books, so clearly some fun adventures remain to be had. The original The Bad Guys (2022) was a delight, and the follow up may be even better. The Bad Guys 2 is a total blast, a briskly paced sequel that goes big without losing the heart that made the original film so enjoyable.
The team of former con artist animals is pulled back into the action when they are blackmailed to help pull off their most elaborate heist yet: stealing all the gold in the world (go big or go home). The film maintains the sleek Oceans 11 vibe that is unique in the animated entertainment world. Some clever plotting allows the newfound “good guys” to engage in exciting “bad guy” behavior in an entertaining way that should quell most parents’ concerns. In fact, the tension between the opposing lifestyles results in some interesting themes and messages that Christian audiences can affirm (see themes section below).
Any film featuring a talking fish who farts green gas whenever he gets nervous (and he gets nervous a lot) is clearly geared at kids. Even so, I think The Bad Guys 2 leans slightly toward the older end of the “child audience” spectrum, but not for negative reasons (though a few moments of character flirtation and edgy banter may make parents of younger kids uncomfortable). Rather, Bad Guys 2 feels like an entertaining heist film in the wrappings of a goofy children’s movie, not merely a “dumbed down” animated film for kids with classic heist-movie tropes. I watched the film with my 10-year-old twin sons, and we all equally enjoyed the experience (which is certainly not always the case with animated films).
The Bad Guys 2 contains some wholesome messages and themes, but the film never loses its primary focus—entertaining audiences. Sending characters into space is typically a sign that a sequel is headed off the rails, but The Bad Guys 2 maintains a brisk pace without ever losing control of the story. It manages to find clever and exciting new ways to deliver action. The opening sequence, an extended high-speed chase, is a perfect representation of the film at its best. It blends action, stylish visuals, and clever humor into a wholly enjoyable package.
Humor is subjective, but I find this franchise’s brand of humor to be among the funniest in the animated entertainment world. The Bad Guys 2 is legitimately hilarious, and not just in a juvenile slapstick way (although there is some of that too). A hard scene cut while the characters are attempting to land the spacecraft may be the funniest moment I’ve seen in a movie all year. The Bad Guys films consistently offer over-the-top silliness without going “full minion” (never, under any circumstances, go full minion…).
The heart of the film remains the “Bad Guys” themselves, whose banter is as endearing as ever. Each member of the crew has a moment to shine (even if some, like Tarantula’s, feel underutilized). But the focus remains primarily on Wolf, with the other four members serving as comic relief. The emphasis on Wolf allows for a more streamlined exploration of the film’s main theme—whether the so-called “good life” is found in living an actual good life—but I would have liked to see that tension play out slightly more with the other characters.
I should also mention that the excellent animation—a pleasing 2D-inspired style of 3D animation—feels distinctive and unique, which is an accomplishment at a time when most animated films (with the exception of the Spiderverse series) tend to all look like a similarly rendered Pixar film.
In the end, The Bad Guys 2 is another delightful entry in what is becoming one of Hollywood’s best animated franchises. Now that the titular Bad Guys have seemingly gone good for good, it remains to be seen how many more adventures the team has up their sleeves (but if Jurassic Park can keep finding ways to get people trapped on an island with dinosaurs, then surely Hollywood can rope the Bad Guys into some more heists). Until then, family audiences can simply enjoy this rare instance of a Hollywood sequel that actually improves on a solid original. They may be called the Bad Guys, but these movies are satisfyingly good.
For Consideration
Language: There are no actual profanities (which is increasingly rare in animated films these days), although an angry driver calls someone a “jackass.” There are also several stand-in profanities, with characters saying things like “holy shrimp,” “what the thorax,” or “what the hairbrush.” A TV news headline also includes the words “hella-havoc.”
Violence: Nothing beyond some harmless fisticuffs that leave a few characters bruised.
Sexuality: There are several moments of flirtatious banter and some kissing (including a snake sucking nearly the entire face off his girlfriend). Recalling the story of how they met, a lovesick Snake continues, “But that was nothing compared to our first date,” before others stop him from sharing any of the salacious details. Later, Snake gives a commentary about how lockpicking is like romance: “You’ve got to start gentle and playfully work your way into its cold heart until all its defenses melt away,” to which another character questions if they are still talking about the lock. In reference to the humming engine of a fancy car, a character says, “You say the naughtiest things.”
Other: A character who has begun practicing yoga has fashioned himself into a spiritual self-help guru, although it is played more with a cliched hippy vibe than as a sincere nod to the form of eastern spirituality that is sometimes associated with yoga. During a near-death experience, a character makes the sign of the cross and seems to voice a soundless prayer.
Engage The Film
Finding the Light and Staying There
In some ways, the sequel explores an even more interesting and applicable message for Christian audiences than the original did. The first Bad Guys film told a standard redemption tale, a conversion narrative about “bad” characters leaving behind their destructive, selfish lifestyle to become a force for good. While not framed in an overtly spiritual way, it nevertheless echoed the “come to Jesus” plot of most faith-based storytelling. In contrast, The Bad Guys 2 tells a part of the story that is equally as important but less frequently explored: what happens after that dramatic “conversion”?
The Bad Guys have “gone good,” but the excitement of that lifestyle shift has begun to wane. The film’s opening scenes, which juxtapose their glamorous former “bad guy” life with their mundane “good” life, is an effective way to establish this thematic tension. Wolf wants to be good, but part of him misses the excitement of his former lifestyle. The antagonist tries to entice him to return to criminal behavior: “What if the bad life was your best life?” Wolf’s struggle brings to mind the apostle Paul’s famous confession, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19).
Most redemption stories stop after a John 3:16 conversion. The Bad Guys 2 reflects Jesus’ exhortation in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Deciding to follow Jesus and live the “good” life is a significant first step, but the challenges often arise as we continue to follow him day after day. As expected, Wolf ultimately reaffirms that the good life is, indeed, the “good” life. They know it won’t always be easy or exciting. But as one character says, “Anyone who wants to change needs to start somewhere.”
