The biggest problem with high-concept films like Bad Guys is that they rely entirely on their initial premise. And just like Despicable Me, once the "bad guys" stop being bad, the title-and the whole concept-starts to fall apart. The screenplay here is stuck from the very beginning, trying to make the good guys bad without actually making them bad, because they're supposed to be good-but were kind of already good to begin with. Confused? Yep, exactly. Now imagine trying to write that.
The first Bad Guys didn't exactly blow anyone away, but it got by on novelty. The only real way to make a sequel work is if the characters were memorable or endearing enough to survive beyond the original's gimmick. Think Toy Story, which pulled it off four times, or Shrek, who still manages to get kids lining up for photos despite some truly rough sequels. Unfortunately, the Bad Guys just don't have that same unique appeal. It's not that they're unlikeable-they just don't stand out enough to make you care once the novelty wears off.
That brings us to Bad Guys 2 itself. Does it work as a film? Unsurprisingly, it struggles under the weight of its conceptual flaws. You can't really root for the "bad guys" in a story where their problems are self-inflicted and their moral arc is basically a loop. The film is so busy trying to twist the narrative-making the good guys bad again so they can become good again-that it becomes exhausting to follow. It's overloaded (ironically) with MacGuffins and diversions, and by the end, nothing feels satisfying or earned.
What's frustrating is that a more daring concept could've saved this. Imagine a version where society refuses to accept the bad guys' reform, pushing them back into villainy. That could've asked deeper questions about redemption and the system's role in change. It would've been a tighter, more meaningful story. But that idea is dropped almost immediately, leaving us with a safe, forgettable mishmash of spy clichés and heist movie leftovers.
Visually, the animation suffers from the same identity crisis. During the fast-paced, Looney Tunes-style action sequences, the film comes alive-but everything in between feels flat. The half-3D, half-2D aesthetic never commits to either direction, so it ends up feeling more like a compromise than a bold creative choice.
In truth, Bad Guys 2 isn't unwatchable. But nothing here is going to set your world on fire either. The franchise might still have potential-but only if it embraces what makes it fun: letting the bad guys actually be bad. Push the animation style further, ditch the redemption loop, and lean into the chaos. That's the movie people might actually want to see.
