The Bad Guys Was … Not That Bad

May 8

Moviegoer Rating: ★★★★

If you look at my track record of Moviegoer reviews, it should come as no surprise that I have been thrilled by the recent uptick in animated content across film and TV. Largely due to the COVID pandemic, studios and networks have begun investing in more animation projects due to their ability to be produced from home - and I certainly hope that the trend is here to stay! Not only because it means I might have more job options when I graduate (see, Penn? It’s possible to get a job that isn’t in consulting!), but because to me, there is nothing more joyous than watching an animated, family-friendly movie with everyone I love.

But with the recent increase in animated content, I have also found myself becoming more picky about what I think is good. These days, for an animated movie to give me that sense of oomph, it really has to be out of this world. It has to have it all: a great story, incredible animation, notable music, a spectacular cast of voice actors, and more.

And sadly, The Bad Guys just missed the mark.

Based on the book series by Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys tells the story of five animal friends who have always lived crime-to-crime in the great city of Los Angeles. Their hunger for heists makes sense since they’re not just any animals - they’re the ones that fairytales and pop culture have always taught us are bad. One day, when Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) are finally arrested after attempting their biggest heist to date, the gang manages to strike a deal with Mayor Foxington that if they’re let go, they must promise to turn good. They plan to do so under the tutelage of the benevolent Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), a humanitarian guinea pig who takes on the criminals as his charity case. Mr. Wolf secretly promises his friends that it’s all pretend, and that once they convince the public of their goodness, they can go back to their thrilling lives of crime.

But could it be that pretending to be good actually makes them … want to be good?

The premise of the story is both clever and hilarious, and though it is based on a source text, screenwriter Etan Cohen certainly gets credit for how expertly he adapts that humor to the screen. From Mr. Shark’s dramatic “giving birth” scene to Mr. Snake’s enormous growth from eating too many guinea pigs (guinea pigs that he was supposed to rescue, by the way), I laughed out loud in the movie theater at multiple points throughout the film. Additionally, the cast was a tremendous hit, especially Richard Ayoade, who effortlessly switched over from sweet to menacing in his portrayal of Professor Marmalade. Awkwafina also didn’t disappoint by making sure to bring her unique brand of sarcasm to the role of Ms. Tarantula.

Yet as great as these elements were, there were other issues in The Bad Guys that I simply could not ignore. One was an issue of world-building and the rules of the film’s imaginary universe. While the five friends are anthropomorphic animals who act and speak like humans, there are other creatures in the movie who are just normal animals (such as the cat that Mr. Wolf saves from the tree who, like any real-life cat, just sits and purrs). Why do some animals speak while others do not? How are audience members supposed to understand that discrepancy? Additionally, the five Bad Guys, the mayor, and Professor Marmalade seem to be the only talking animals who live in Los Angeles, since in every scene that takes place at a public event, we only see other human attendees. If that’s indeed the case, how did a random group of talking animals join a city otherwise only inhabited by humans - and how did one of those animals become the mayor? As evidenced by all of these questions, the movie could have used some clarification on the rules of its universe that govern human, talking animal, and non-talking animal interactions. Ultimately, the key to any good movie, however fantastical it is, is that the world where it takes place makes logical sense. I can’t say that was the case for The Bad Guys.

Additionally, I felt a certain disconnect between different elements of the film’s animation style. The Bad Guys’ bodies were all rounded and 3D, yet their eyes seemed flat and cartoon-like. The same disconnect was present in the setting, where buildings and cars were animated to be life-like, but the occasional billow of smoke was thin and two-dimensional. I could see where this mix of styles could be viewed as a cool artistic choice - it certainly makes the film stand out, since I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before. But as much as I wanted to enjoy this fresh, mixed look, it simply did not come together for me. The different styles were too disjointed.

Finally, there was the lack of memorable music. When I noticed that Mr. Piranha was going to get up on stage and sing at the charity gala, I was excited for the bop that was sure to come. But the original song that came next, “Good Tonight,” was just OK. (It was so unmemorable, in fact, that I just had to listen to it again to write this part of the review.) While that performance scene was certainly cute, I felt like such a dynamic character as Mr. Piranha deserved a brilliant number that was more than just cute. I also spent the entire movie waiting to hear Billie Eilish’s “bad guy”, which had featured so prominently in the trailer. But the song never came, and with that absence, the movie missed a critical opportunity to attach itself to one of the most famous pop songs of all time.

To be sure, I had a great time watching The Bad Guys, and it was certainly worth the trip to the movie theater. The characters were hilarious, the film was jam-packed with action and plot twists, and the overall message about believing in everyone’s potential for good was sweet. But the issues I observed ultimately prevent me from calling the movie “great.” Instead, it’ll always linger in the “good” or “fine” territory. And as for me, I’ll keep searching for another animated movie that’s truly extraordinary. Rest assured, I’ll let you know when I find it.

The Bad Guys is now playing in theaters.