The Bad Guys, 2022.
Directed by Pierre Perifel.
Featuring the voice talents of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, Barbara Goodson, and Walt Dohrn.
SYNOPSIS:
Several reformed yet misunderstood criminal animals attempt to become good, with some disastrous results along the way.
Full disclosure, I was somewhat dreading The Bad Guys. I try not to do that, but once in a while, something slips in that feels destined to be bad. Based on a series of books by Aaron Blabey, my first impression of The Bad Guys suggested another lowest common denominator (that insults children’s intelligence just as much as adults) story about talking animals that would result in a mishmash of singing and toilet humor and uninspired plotting. To be fair, some of the comedy is relatively simple and cringe, but the script itself from Etan Cohen (writer of such infamous thinkers as Holmes and Watson, only strengthened my skepticism of the quality before watching this) surprisingly doesn’t shy away from weightier elements such as addressing stereotypes, the fact that people need a chance to thrive in life to bring out the good sides, criminal reform, and how outgrowing certain personality traits can cause some dysfunction in a larger friend group. It is by no means a great script, but it’s definitely not a lazy one
If the ultimate message of The Bad Guys is to not judge a book by its cover, it’s almost fitting that an enjoyable experience for all ages would come from a writer most associated with embarrassingly juvenile comedies. You go in judging the movie; you walk away wanting to further apply those lessons to the way you approach cinema as a whole.
The titular band of thievery bad guys at the center of the narrative also knows what it’s like to be judged. Nameless aside from their species, they are led by Wolf (Sam Rockwell having a blast), a conflicted career kleptomaniac seriously considering shifting to a lifestyle of good after a brief rush of flattery following unintentionally saving an old lady from falling down some stairs (he was trying to pickpocket her for jewelry). His partners in crime are Snake (a cruel and self-loathing Marc Maron finding an abundance of diabolical chemistry between his voiceover co-stars), Tarantula (a tech expert and hacker voiced by the reliably eccentric Awkwafina), Shark (a master of disguise voiced by Craig Robinson), and Piranha (a short and ill-tempered brawler voiced by Anthony Ramos). Their next mission: a heist of a good samaritan award set to be pretended to the endlessly kind guinea pig Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), who has stopped wars and united the world following the crashing of a love crater meteorite and several fundraising charity events.
There are some hiccups on the job, mainly because Wolf is caught up in tail-wagging and feeling like a “good boy” for the first time. His crush on Governor Fox (Zazie Beetz) only inches him further toward the path of good, as she turns out to have a soft in her heart and secrets of her own (as she says, foxes and wolves are not so different). As a result of the botch, they are busted by local police officer Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein of Family Guy fame and more), who is so hell-bent on putting them away that it’s essentially her life goal. Suddenly, Professor Marmalade comes up with an idea offering a chance at reformation; he will take the rebels under his wing (or fur, I guess) and teach them the ways of nobility and honor.
It would be as deceptive as some of these anthropomorphic animals themselves to say that The Bad Guys isn’t easy to read and predict, but it does find an irresistible charm through impressively blending animation styles (Pierre Perifel makes his narrative length directing debut, having previously worked as an animator on respectable projects such as the Kung Fu Panda series) that lends a graphic novel touch to some of the action sequences (especially the fast-paced hand-to-hand combat segments). It’s also not afraid to acknowledge and teach children about stereotypes and how people should be judged for their actions, and how acts of generosity are something an individual does to feel good about themselves just as much as selfless behavior.
The character models are also highly expressive throughout, which only livens the banter and disagreements between the crew, specifically the engaging performances from Sam Rockwell and Marc Maron. Daniel Pemberton’s original score also has a moving melodic touch that works despite the inherently basic plot structure. The Bad Guys might not last forever and go down as a cinematic achievement in animation, but it has talking points on its mind that are useful for both children and adults. Sure, it’s a bargain bin Zootopia, but considering the devious camaraderie between the voiceover ensemble and commendable artistic direction, there’s enough good to come away smirking and smiling.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
