When you’ve played the villain your entire life, it takes more than a single good deed to change perceptions.  That’s the quandary these Bad Guys find themselves in.  They bought into the whole tail wagging thing last time around and used their talents to do a whopper of a good deed, but their past transgressions are still etched within everyone’s memory.  Did they make the right decision in breaking good?  Or should they revert back to what everyone still holds against them?  The Bad Guys 2 shows that it takes time, hard work and believing in yourself to make that happen.  I’m not sure if this movie’s target audience will appreciate the philosophical argument discussion that’s happening alongside the slapstick and chaos, but their parents can explain it to them later, I suppose.

Before we see how far the mighty have fallen, The Bad Guys 2 gives us a flashback to an episode from the gang’s glory days.  Five years ago, Tarantula (Awkwafina) was a new team member when they executed one of their most daring heists:  breaking into a palace in Cairo to steal a very expensive muscle car.  Naturally, the plan is very elaborate and risks going sideways at any moment, but as Wolf (Sam Rockwell) explains to the victim, the job is a power move.  I’m surprised he didn’t say “flex”, but avoiding slang will help the movie from feeling dated years from now.

Back in the present, Wolf drives the most pathetic good guy jalopy since Jack Parr in The Incredibles.  When he applies for a job at a bank, the hiring manager reminds him that he robbed that same bank twice.  Wolf jokes about that to break the tension, to no avail.  At this point, his reputation precedes him, like George Clooney’s character in Out of Sight.  He and his friends can’t get a fair shake because their bad deeds are still fresh in everyone’s minds.

Wolf meets up with the rest of the gang at their now-empty headquarters.  (All of their ill-gotten gains were confiscated in the last film.)  Wolf tells a white lie about his interview, not wanting to dampen the team’s wavering spirit.  Snake (Marc Maron) is doing the best of all of them, with a busy schedule involving yoga and whatnot, which makes the rest suspicious.  If Snake is in a good mood, he must be up to no good, right?

Wolf knows that the Bad Guys need to do more to prove that they’re good guys, and a TV news story about the Phantom Bandit piques Wolf’s interest.  The thief has been stealing stuff around town without leaving a trace, and the police are flummoxed.  Wolf reasons that if they help the police capture the Bandit, doors will open for them.  At least in theory.

Wolf, Shark (Craig Robinson), Tarantula and Pirana (Anthony Ramos) visit Commissioner Luggins (Alex Borstein) to figure out the Phantom Bandit’s next move.  (Animation has become the last vestige of Vaudeville routines, and the scene where Wolf and the rest steadily eat Luggins’ lunch while they put the clues together has the Marx Brothers written all over it.)  The common thread to the heists is that the stolen items were made with a mineral named Macguffinite, a name targeted to film nerds everywhere.  Why the Bandit is after objects composed of that mineral is unclear.  However, Snake has been present at every one of the thefts.  Is Snake happy because he’s reverted to his safe-cracking ways?  Uh oh.

Snake’s social calendar shows that he’ll be at the upcoming “Lords of Lucha” wrestling tournament, where the winner will receive a championship belt made of–you guessed it–Macguffinite.  Why a wrestling tournament?  Because wrestling is the perfect way to introduce some physical comedy, ala the Three Stooges.  Unfortunately, the Bandit frames Piranha for stealing the belt and a tidal wave of angry wrestling fans chase them out of the city.  (The first movie had a wave of guinea pigs.  The filmmakers definitely love waves of things.)  Their escape from the cops is another frantic Keystone Cops chase that has become a visual  trademark of this franchise.

The guys are quickly kidnapped by a trio of Bad Girls:  Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), Pigtail Petrova (Maria Bakalova) and Doom (Natasha Lyonne).  They have a copy of video footage that reveals Wolf’s kinda-sorta girlfriend, Mayor Diane (Zazie Beetz) as the Crimson Paw, and blackmail the Bad Guys into pulling one more heist.  If not, the girls will expose Diane and she’ll lose her job.  Since the Mayor is the one person on their side, they have no choice but to be bad one more time.

And what have the Bad Guys gotten themselves involved in?  The need to steal the launch controller’s smartwatch for the MOON-X rocket (ha ha) at his wedding.  The plan is tricky but nothing the gang hasn’t done before.  However, the gang has second thoughts when Kitty Kat reveals what the Bad Girls intend to do with all of the Macguffinite they’ve stolen.  In order to stop them, however, the Bad Guys are forced to choose between doing the right thing and saving their friend.  Nobody ever said being good was easy.

Recommendation

DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2 is family animation at its best.  Like the original movie, the confidence the filmmakers have in these characters and this story is evident throughout.  The movie never once uses lazy cultural references for easy laughs.  Instead, The Bad Guys 2 emphasizes story and characters first and laughs second.  As a result, the comedy arises naturally from the material and the dynamics between the characters, not because it’s been two minutes without a joke.  Unlike lesser animated films, there wasn’t a moment in this movie that felt forced or manic.  The filmmakers know they have good material to work with and simply let it happen.

Another key element to this movie’s success is that the actors are actually good as voice actors and perfectly cast.  Sam Rockwell is well-suited to play the Wolf, where his laid-back charm and devil-may-care attitude shine.  The typically gruff and acerbic Marc Maron is ideal for Snake.  Craig Robinson epitomizes the frantic clown that is Shark.  Anthony Ramos has his moments as the nervous Piranha.  Awkwafina remains the weak link as Tarantula, although she’s better here than she was in the first one.  I love how the movie positions Alex Bornstein’s Police Commissioner as the exasperated foil of the Bad Guys.  The actors playing the villains–Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne–are also memorable.  Zazie Beetz is still forgettable as Mayor Diane/The Crimson Paw.

What I enjoy the most about The Bad Guys 2 and the original is how well both films capture the essence of their comedic inspirations.  This movie appreciates anarchy in all its forms, with the Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges, Keystone Cops and Looney Tunes, to name a few.  The filmmakers respect not just the art behind comedy, but the audience’s ability to appreciate good comedy as well.  For example, any movie can include a fart joke but this one takes it to a whole new level (in outer space!).

Director Pierre Perifel (who shares responsibilities this time around with JP Sans) brings the same colorful and chaotic energy to the film’s action sequences that made the original a wild ride.  What elevates this sequel is its willingness to explore serious subject matter in a way reminiscent of the best Pixar films.  Where the first film was about spiritual awakenings, this one is about the nagging self-doubt that follows life-altering changes.  It also does what few animated films ever attempt, which humanize the villain’s criminal behavior by revealing how it’s rooted in humiliation and resentment.  Amidst all of the expected slapstick, the movie’s dramatic elements are surprisingly compelling and emotionally resonant.

The Bad Guys 2 is better than the original.  Its themes are more complex and mature, the comedy is brash and bold, and the voice acting is superb.  As far as animated sequels go, this is one of the best.  Highly recommended.