The Bad Guys 2 (2025)

The Bad Guys 2 (2025)

6/10

Starring the voices of

Sam Rockwell

Marc Maron

Awkwafina

Craig Robinson

Anthony Ramos

 

Directed by Pierre Perifel

 

The Bad Guys are back, and they are struggling at being good. The animated work is done by DreamWorks, and while many celebrated the first part back in 2022, well here they are again. I did not like the first part myself, and was not game to see this one, but I have to be honest, this came off a lot better.

Since I already knew the cast and what or who they are, the world-building confusion I had with the first movie does not come up here. I always stay away from previews for movies I want to see, to be surprised or caught unawares for the genuine thrill, and so I did here. I was surprised that now we have the Bad Girls, but the story that led up to their revelation was so predictable.

The comedy for me took its sweet time to start hitting home. I was bored waiting for something to happen after the high-octane start, but after the predictable setup, the movie became funny, and I just coasted through. I really prefer this to the first.

Billed with the same fantastic voice casting and voice work by the actors, this animation, like the first, has characters based on a children’s book of the same name.

So here is the plot. The Bad Guys (Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Mr. Piranha, and Ms. Tarantula) are finding it hard to get jobs, because they are ex-convicts known to be robbers. Down on their luck and unable to pay their bills, they are just making it by when they discover that some heist has been going on, and their former calling card from their past heist days is being left behind.

Worried that they are being framed, they decide to help the cops solve the crime. Problem is, in the most silly, unrealistic, easy-to-resolve way, they get framed and are on the run. The bigger problem is that the people who framed them are the very ones they are running with.

We now learn of a new crew at work, the Bad Girls. I liked that they didn’t go overboard with the new characters, because I would have had to deal with listening to too many dialogues.

The animation artwork is just like the first, and the movie, also like the first, is making waves critically. So will this mean there will be a third part? Judging by the way Hollywood seems to be hooked on making remakes and sequels in the past five years, I would not be surprised.

So go see this movie. I recommend it, and it is also a good one to see with the family.