--- title: "Bad Boys II: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/bad-boys-ii/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/bad-boys-ii" critics_score: 36 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Bad Boys II (2003): what the critics said Critics' score 36 from 11 reviews: 0 positive, 3 mixed, 8 negative. Most critics find Bad Boys II overlong, repetitive and exhausting, with action that overwhelms a thin cop-buddy story. The limited praise centres on the stunt work and visual invention: individual shots and chases impress even reviewers who dislike the film. Empire singles out the first Miami highway chase, while finding the surrounding material too weak to sustain it. Across the reviews, the recurring complaint is that the sheer quantity of destruction makes the spectacle less effective. The differences concern how much pleasure survives the excess, and how objectionable the excess becomes. Total Film offers a comparatively forgiving assessment, enjoying the leads’ wisecracks despite the stale plotting. Others find the humour juvenile or the central partnership unpersuasive. The harshest objections go beyond pacing and noise: The Guardian condemns the film’s homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny, while Slant Magazine attacks its jingoism and disregard for human life. ## Screen Daily — John Hazelton Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 14 July 2003. The page identifies this as a review, but its critical assessment is hidden behind the access prompt. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the available text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/bad-boys-2/4014175.article) ## The New York Times — Elvis Mitchell Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 2003. The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No praise or complaint from the review is available to report. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/18/movies/film-review-hot-cars-burning-rubber-and-guys-good-and-bad.html) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 2 October 2003. The review finds the sequel overlong, overblown and underwritten, but still entertaining enough to qualify as big, dumb fun. It praises the leads’ wisecracks while faulting the repetitive action and stale plot. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/bad-boys-ii-review/) ## Radio Times — Jason Caro Rating 2/5. Caro finds the sequel overlong and overindulgent, despite its energetic action spectacle. He singles out Bay’s swirling camerawork and rapid editing as nearly nauseating, alongside juvenile, thin dialogue. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-xhy97y/bad-boys-ii/) ## Time Out — DA Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). The review presents the sequel as a brash ode to excess, with an impliedly critical view of its unrestrained style. It singles out the violence, bloodshed, car chases and destruction as unmediated. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/bad-boys-ii-2) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 1.5/4. 18 July 2003. Ebert’s verdict is negative, faulting the film as excessively long and over-the-top. He particularly objects to its relentless violence and noisy action spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bad-boys-ii-2003) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Thomas finds the sequel overlong, repetitive and often irritating, despite moments of visual invention. He singles out Bay’s camera work and the first Miami highway chase as impressive, but says they cannot compensate for the weak material. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bad-boys-2-review/) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2003. McCarthy finds the film overlong and exhausting, arguing that its excess undermines the simple cop-buddy story. He praises some spectacular stunts and shots but says their abundance dilutes their impact. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/bad-boys-ii-1200540562/) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2003. Gonzalez condemns the film as vile and jingoistic, arguing that its treatment of race and the drug war is reductive. He singles out its gleeful, elaborate violence and disregard for human life as especially repellent. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/bad-boys-ii/) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2003. French condemns the film as overlong and morally ugly. He particularly objects to its homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny and violent climax. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,1056034,00.html) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2003. The critic finds the sequel a joyless, overlong mess in which action overwhelms the story and the humor falls flat. The stunts and destruction are singled out as drowning the plot, while the Smith-Lawrence double act fails to recapture its earlier chemistry. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/bad-boys-ii-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/bad-boys-ii.md