Rating of
3/4
The Fast and the Furriest
Chris Kavan - wrote on 06/26/22
A mix of slick, modern animation with some elements of classic heist capers, The Bad Guys is fun treat that the younger set will enjoy, but adults will happily sit through as well.
The main draw for this is not just the excellent animation but a killer cast led by Sam Rockwell as the slickly smooth Wolf joined by Marc Maron as the grumpy, older Snake, Craig Robinson as the master-of-disguise Shark, Awkwafina as the tech-savvy Tarantula and Anthony Ramos as the unhinged (and gassy) Piranha. Zazie Beetz is also along as the capable Mayor Foxington with Richard Ayoade voicing the nicest of nice guys guinea pig Professor Marmalade. The voice talent goes a long way into making this a fun film with each delivering a memorable performance.
The film clearly draws inspiration and alludes to several heist type films that I'm sure adults will catch. From the Ocean's films to Pulp Fiction to James Bond - it's fun picking out the tributes across the board. But Bad Guys has a big heart, too, and it has a message to get across - you don't have to be bad, even if it seems the whole world sees you that way. While it's hard not to see the twist coming in the end, getting there is a pleasant journey and the film has a lot of spirit. And also a lot of car chases - to keep things interesting.
The film moves at a fast pace without sacrificing character development. It doesn't get too deep, but enough is invested that each of our bad guys has their own distinct voices. It never gets too preachy and, despite a few fart jokes, never too juvenile, either. It strikes a great balance between entertaining both young and old and I think makes for a solid family film.
