One Movie Later: Bad Guys 2 is Real Bad! (As In Good!)
by James Coulter
I have a confession: I am a furry. No, I’m not someone who dresses up in animal costumes. I’m more of a casual furry, someone who likes art and media with anthropomorphic animal characters.
Case in point, there are two movies this year I’ve been looking forward to watching the most, and they’re both sequels to popular animated furry flicks: Zootopia 2, which releases later this year, and Bad Guys 2.
I love the original Bad Guys. It was my favorite animated movie of 2022. And the only thing preventing me from calling it the best animated film of the year was Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
I loved the movie’s blend of 2D and 3D animation. I loved its over-the-top chase and heist scenes. I loved the wacky hijinks of its characters. And I especially love Diana Foxington. She’s a real foxy…fox.
So, will Bad Guys 2 give double the pleasure and double the fun of the original movie? Or is the second verse not as good as the first?
Set shortly after the events of the first movie, Bad Guys 2 has the titular bad guys attempting to turn over their criminal past. However, being former convicted felons doesn’t make their new lives as good guys easy, especially when it comes to applying for potential jobs.
Complicating matters even further is how the characters are suspected of pulling off a recent wave of robberies. And when they try to clear their names by hunting down the real culprits, they only get roped into a much bigger crime heist. Will the bad guys be able to pull off this heist and clear their names?
A common trend in Dreamworks Animation is that the second animated movie tends to be better than the first. Shrek 2? Better. Kung Fu Panda 2? Better. How to Train Your Dragon 2? Better. And Bad Guys 2, I’m glad to say, proudly continues that trend. Because Bad Guys 2? Better!
The original Bad Guys was one of the many animated movies, along with the Spiderverse films and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which helped introduce a new style of animation that combines the best of 2D and 3D animation, creating a unique blend that feels like hand-drawn illustrations transformed flawlessly into three dimensions.
The movie’s unique 2D/3D animation style served as a refreshingly radical departure from the generic Pixar-style computer animation. And while the movie also helped popularize the art style derided by some people as “bean mouth” (so named because of the character’s bean-shaped mouths), the Ghibli anime influences certainly gave the characters personality in their designs.
The animation of the sequel shines the most in its action sequences. Its heist scenes are much more cartoonier versions of Ocean’s Eleven heists, and its chase scenes combine the high-octane action of the Fast and Furiousmovies with the comedic hijinks of classic Keystone Cops capers,
resulting in scenes that are equally exciting as they are hilarious. How else can you feel when one scene has the characters running away from a human crowd turned tidal wave?
Aside from ramping up the action and heist sequences, Bad Guys 2 also ramps up the tension. No spoilers, but this movie raises the stakes for the characters, as failing the mission will harm more than just them.
Adding to the tension is the characters’ overall arc. Mr. Wolf and the other former Bad Guys desperately want to prove they’ve turned over a new leaf, even though life has thus far made doing so hard. And the new characters serve as a good foil for them, making them question whether trying to be “good guys” is even worth it.
Such tension is especially heightened during many of the heist and action sequences. Again, no spoilers, but there were many moments where it appears the characters messed up big time, only for the scene to end on a surprisingly pleasant twist. These are the type of scenes that make you simultaneously gasp in horror, only to cheer in victory a second later and exclaim, “I can’t believe they did that!”
And yes, this movie actually elicited a lot of exclamations from me, even to the point of nearly jumping out of my seat.
Bad Guys 2 is the most fun I’ve had watching an animated movie in forever. The movie had everything I loved about the original movie and more. I wasn’t kidding when I said this movie elicited the most reactions from me while watching it in the theater. It had me laughing out loud, cheering for joy, and even gasping in shock. It was that good.
How good is this movie? Let’s just say I still haven’t purchased the DVD of the original movie. Now, not only do I want the first Bad Guys movie on DVD, but Bad Guys 2 finally gets a home release. I’m even curious to read the books these movies were based on.
If you loved the original Bad Guys, not only will you love Bad Guys 2, but you’re certainly going to be hyped up for any potential sequels, which this movie may or may not be hinting at. (Again, no spoilers!)
