Retro Review – The Bad Guys

This is not a movie I anticipated liking. Some of the best experiences ever are when we don’t expect to enjoy something, and it takes us completely by surprise. In fact, the only reason I saw this was because it was free, and I could comment intelligibly on the sequel for Boom, Bust or Meh. I avoided the entire media campaign as it looked dumb. This is one of the rare moments in life where I am happy to be wrong. I was delighted by this witty and charming film.

Content Guide

Violence/Scary Images: Some cartoon violence with light-hearted consequences: car crashes, explosions, brawls, and animals trying to eat each other.

Language/Crude Humor: A little bit of potty humor, with a mention of h*ll as an exclamation.

Drug/Alcohol References: Characters hold martini and wine glasses at a party, though it is revealed they aren’t actually drinking alcohol.

Sexual Content: Some mild flirting.

Spiritual Content: None.

Other Negative Content: The main characters are thieves, though they eventually redeem themselves.

Positive Content: The movie emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing, while also promoting loyalty as a quality.

Review

The Bad Guys involves a group of bank robbers enjoying their life of crime. A wolf, a tarantula, a snake, a shark, and a piranha all essentially live as Robin Hood-esque robbers until they are finally caught in a major heist. Instead of being thrown into prison, the famed philanthropist/humanitarian Professor Maramalade offers to teach them how to ‘be good’ and thus avoid a prison sentence. The plot thickens when our antiheroes are framed for a crime they actually didn’t commit and are forced to reconsider their ideas of right and wrong.

The writers of The Bad Guys are clearly aficionados of heist films, and so am I. The Ocean series of movies and The Italian Job (the 2003 version) are masterpieces in my book. The Bad Guys effectively subverts the tropes of heist films by introducing its own clever twist on the genre. There are outright references to other heist films that will probably delight fans. The first half of the movie felt a little predictable, and it was. But like any good heist movie, there are some brilliant twists shown at the very end, some of which even took me by surprise.

Everyone in the cast really pulls their own weight and does an admirable job of making the movie stand out. In particular, Sam Rockwell does an impressive job of making Wolf appear smooth and charismatic. Zazie Beetz also did an equally good job of making her character stand out, injecting her energy into Mayor Diane Foxington. The characters, despite being clearly ridiculous, still manage to come across as believable, to a degree. A massive shark that is a master of disguise, while amusing, is just too much of a stretch. Nevertheless, despite the clearly absurd idea of animals living amongst a human society, the movie manages to evoke real emotion and camaraderie. I won’t give this movie points for worldbuilding, but I will give it extra stars for remembering to make a character-driven story.

I also want to throw a salute to the art team. The production crew was very open about abandoning realistic CGI in favor of a more artistic, comic-book style. I have to say that I absolutely love the way the artwork looks, and it makes the movie feel original. The colors are vibrant and given a sort of filmic noir tint mixed with an anime style. So many small details in the artwork really make this movie stand out.

Morality is put front and center of this movie. Rather than merely play the ‘Robin Hood’ card, questions of right and wrong are woven throughout the script. I do appreciate this, but I also can’t give the screenwriters a free pass. Wolf asks himself throughout the movie whether he really wants to be a criminal, adding an unexpected layer of depth to the story. However, I do think that the issues could have been handled a little better. I understand that technically this is a kids’ movie, and I shouldn’t go expecting a full moral dissertation. Still, one of the major themes of the movie is that doing the right thing gives you ‘a good feeling’. I think this is a watered-down explanation. While God certainly does use our conscience to tell us what is right or wrong, there are multiple times when doing the right thing most certainly did NOT give me a ‘warm feeling’. Sometimes doing the right thing is difficult, and it means having to deal with those who do not accept you. I do wish the movie had pressed on this point a little better.

Despite some patchy moments, The Bad Guys still manages to come across as delightfully inventive and charming. At times witty, other times using fart jokes. A serious blend of goofery and the crime/noir/heist genres. I had a lot of fun watching the movie, and I respect Dreamworks for making a very serious attempt to turn animated projects into quality works of art. I am as surprised as anyone to say the following words: I am looking forward to watching the sequel.