The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday

The Bad Guys are eagerly waiting for Christmas. Everybody will be at home and all the stores are ready to be robbed. The guys are casing various places when they accidentally destroy the beloved Santa Claus balloon. The city is heartbroken and Christmas is canceled. The Bad Guys need to fix the problem before they can go on their robbery spree.

It's a Christmas special for this second tier animated franchise. I liked Bad Guys well enough. They have some potential and this is sort of the material that I'm expecting. I doubt this is going to become a classic. Maybe it will convince a few more to see the movie.

The Bad Guys movie was really enjoyable and charming, plus the beautiful animation but what happens if you take the fun heist antics of the bad guys and take away the great animation? Your left with what feels like the cutscenes of a 2000s licensed bad guys video game.

The holiday special itself is a basic but enjoyable time that still has those characters and the heist fun that came from the original film. I do think that the limited animation definitely hinders the special as the original film had a unique and fun visual style that they try to emulate in this special, for the most part all the character designs do look good and match the films style but the rigid movement and somewhat choppy animation makes it a bit disappointing as a follow up/prequel to the movie. I do think this was do to the special having a lower budget which is something out of the control of the animators.

Overall I think it's a fine enough special that kids and adults can get some enjoyment out of during the holiday season, but not an instant classic like Charlie Brown or Garfield's Christmas specials.

I usually don't write reviews. But it is a typical bad guys adventure. Nothing wrong with it besides being not that long plot wise. The timeline is a tad off to the movie for obvious non spoiler reasons. But whatever. The animation downgrade is something my eyesight has to get use to. I have seen worse. I know some ppl type way of the og cast not returning. This ain't the first time in animation history it's happened so it is what it is. I mean sure Raul Ceballos' singing voice isn't Anthony Ramos. But why should it be? You can tell the difference with certain voices, but it's solid voice acting. If you like the movie. You might like this, or you might not. If another movie of the bad guys happens it's possible with hopefully this doing well that we'll get a tv show which I think would be dope. Either way I'm supporting this IP.

If you loved the slick, stylish chaos of The Bad Guys, its holiday spin-off, The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday, is like a mischievous Christmas cookie. Small, sweet, and full of trouble.

Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, this DreamWorks short doesn't have time for a full heist... but it manages to cram in the same charm, energy, and quick-fire wit that made the original film such a hit.

It's a festive caper filled with explosions, stolen decorations, and shockingly genuine holiday spirit.

Fast, funny, and full of swagger. The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday is a snappy seasonal treat that proves even criminals can have a little Christmas cheer.

✅ What Worked

1. The Heist-Twist Holiday Setup: Instead of robbing a bank, the gang's mission this time is to save Christmas but not out of kindness. They need the city's holiday festival to happen so they can pull off their latest caper. It's a classic Bad Guys setup: selfish intentions leading to accidentally wholesome results.

2. Faithful to the Original's Energy: Even without the original voice cast (Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, etc.), the new actors capture the same snappy banter and cool confidence. The tone stays perfectly aligned with the movie's slick, crime-comedy style.

3. Stylish Animation & Direction: The unique comic-book-meets-anime art style returns in full holiday color. The glowing city lights, snow-dusted skylines, and dynamic chase scenes make this one of the best-looking DreamWorks holiday shorts.

4. Humor That Lands for All Ages: There's a perfect balance of kid-friendly slapstick and clever dialogue for adults. It pokes fun at Christmas clichés while still celebrating the joy underneath them.

5. Heart Without Sap: Unlike some overly sentimental holiday specials, A Very Bad Holiday keeps things breezy. The characters don't suddenly turn perfect. They just stumble into doing the right thing. That's what makes it charming.

❌ What Didn't Work

1. Too Short for Its Own Good: At around half an hour, it feels like a fun appetizer rather than a full course. A few more minutes could've given more time for emotional payoff or bigger laughs.

2. Missing Original Cast Magic: The replacement voices do a solid job, but there's no denying the chemistry of the original film's ensemble is missed.

3. Predictable Plot: The story follows a familiar "grinch-to-giver" structure. It's executed well but doesn't surprise much.

💬 Favorite Moments & Quotes The Holiday Heist Montage: "Operation Save Christmas": a series of ridiculous disguises, gadgets, and snow-fueled stunts.

Snake's gift meltdown: "You know what's better than presents? Presents you didn't have to buy!" Wolf's reluctant sincerity: "We're not good guys... we're just having a good day." The final fireworks over the city: a perfect, sparkly bow on a chaotic caper.

🎄 If You Liked This, You Might Also Enjoy:

1. The Bad Guys: the original stylish action-comedy about a gang of animal criminals learning to be heroes.

2. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: another DreamWorks gem blending humor, style, and surprising heart.

3. Trolls Holiday: colorful, musical chaos with a festive twist.

4. The Grinch: a polished, modern retelling of redemption through Christmas.

5. The Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus: if you enjoy corporate chaos with tinsel.

💭 Final Thoughts

The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday may not be a full-blown sequel, but it perfectly captures the franchise's cool confidence in a cozy Christmas package. It's clever enough for adults, fun enough for kids, and quick enough to become an annual rewatch.

It's not about "being good". It's about finding that spark of decency between explosions, gadgets, and sarcastic banter.

Final Verdict: 6.8/10. Stylish, silly, and unexpectedly warm. The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday proves even the worst can have a good Christmas.

The Bad Guys seemingly came out of nowhere and was immediately hailed as one of DreamWorks Animation's finest films in recent memory. While everyone who saw the film was hoping for more adventures of the titular gang of thieves, no one was expecting a holiday special so soon after the film's released. While I was originally intrigued, my hopes were dashed when they first trailer dropped and it looked HORRIBLE! I was hoping to go the rest of my life never seeing this, but the insistance of my 4 year old niece convinced me to give it a watch this Christmas. Despite hoping for the very bare minimum, this was exactly as terrible as I thought it was going to be! From the atrocious writing to the abominable animation, this is what the worst case scenario would've been for The Bad Guys' debut film had things gone South during production!

Directed by Bret Haaland, this holiday special takes place before the events of the film and focuses on the Bad Guys saving Christmas in order to pull off a holiday heist. Right before the word go is uttered, the special is already off to a sour start. The beginning of this story is painfully slow, with unnatural expository dialogue, unfunny jokes and a severe lack of chemistry between the leads. It does the exact opposite of how the film starts; and what's worse is that it doesn't get much better from here! Despite being 25 minutes, it feels like 25 days with its sluggish pacing. They just go on and on with trying and failing to save Christmas, and they mostly just stand around doing and saying nothing of value. The humor is just non-existent as it's mostly lousy puns, weak slapstick, and dull visual gags. This kind of writing would give the writers a big, fat lump of coal in their stocking for how bad it is!

Good gravey, are the characters in this special complete departures from their film counterparts. Not a single on of them is likable, funny, relatable, or entertaining to watch. Starting with Wolf, he's the typical narcissistic leader of the group whose ego engulfs whatever charisma he had from the film. Snake is a grumpy curmudgeon that acts more like a co-worker to Wolf rather than his best friend. Tarantula is the tech savy hacker that says techno babble to make up for her lack of a personality. Shark is the unfunny comic relief that never once got a smirk out of me. Piranha is such a liability that he might as well not be in this special. The worst characters in the special, though, have got to be the people of L. A. who have been reduced to a flock of mindless sheep that worship a giant Santa balloon like he's baby Jesus! There's also a massive Chief of Police sized hole that makes the city feel even more barron.

I'll never understand why they couldn't bring the original actors from the film to reprise their roles for this special. The actors they got in their place are doing such bad impressions of the original actors, it just feels like a waste of their talents and a waste of resources. Michael Godere sounds very flat as Wolf, and never brings the charisma and nuisance that Sam Rockwell brought to the character. Chris Diantamopoulos really isn't doing his talents any favors putting on a phoney Marc Marron impression for Snake yet not sounding nearly as crusty or natural. Ezekiel Ajeigbe sounded less like Shark and more like a guy pretending to be Shark, which is a fools errand as Shark is a master of disguise and Craig Robinson played that brilliantly. Mallory Low doesn't do a good job voicing Taranula because Awkwafina has a very distinct voice and Tarantula doesn't sound nearly as sassy or clever with an imitator. Raul Ceballos didn't give Piranha the same unhinged energy Anthony Ramos brought and his singing just doesn't even compare. No one else left a lasting impression and just sounded as stiff as their director told them to be. All the actors felt underutilized when playing imitations of actual good actors and I can't help be feel sorry for them.

Visually, this special doesn't even look good if they were going for intentionally cheap. DreamWorks hired 88 Pictures for the animation, and it looks bad from every angle. The characters don't have that cel-shaded look from the film and instead just have the standard 3D model appearance. As such, their textures are flat, the clothes looked slapped on, and the facial expressions are very limited. The character animation is very stiff and weightless with the frame rate having to be choppy to give the illusion of movement. The backgrounds also feel very empty and the buildings look like they're made of clay. The worst of the visuals are the effects, which look unpolished and amateurish. This is especially true when the balloon Santa is destroyed in a burst of flames. The first looks very phoney and when the balloon disintegrates, it looks like its on a different plain of existence. It takes time and money to produce quality animation; this special had NEITHER of those luxuries!

I loathe this special entirely! The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday is a great disservice to the film and Christmas specials everywhere! The writing is atrocious, the characters are flanderized, the acting is terrible, and the animation is abominable. This is as notoriously bad as the Star Wars Holiday Special is for die-hard Star Wars fans. The big difference though is while their can be some ironic enjoyment out of that, I can't even thing of a good reason for anyone to spit in this special's direction. It deserves the worst fate to bestow on a piece of media this bad: to be ignored and forgotten! Do NOT watch The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday! Just watch the film or read the books. This special is NOT canon and even if the producers say it is, it's nothing but a stain on the franchise's legacy -.-