‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Action Sequel Delivers Epic Spectacle & Hilarious Banter

The world’s favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your-seat action and outrageous comedy, but this time with a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run. When Captain Howard is unjustly accused of a lifetime of drug-related crimes, the Bad Boys vow to clear his name.

For in-depth thoughts on Bad Boys: Ride or Die, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here. 

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Bad Boys: Ride or Die offers a subtle yet appreciated uptick in quality over the already top-shelf accompanying Blu-Ray, making it one of the standout discs in recent memory. Sony continues its dominance as one of the best major studios delivering 4K encodes. The Dolby Vision presentation emboldens the colors to glorious extremes more beautiful than one could hope. The expanded range of the color spectrum is one of the standout benefits of the format. There are so many locales explored which seem to be made to show off for the camera, not to mention the deep colors within the clothing and lighting choices that beam off the screen. 

The party continues when it comes to the command of contrast. Black levels in this presentation are immensely deep and inky with resplendent detail. When observing the shadow detail, environments are more vivid and finely delineated. Highlights in the film are more refined with whites pure and balanced with no trace of blooming to be found. There are also improvements when it comes to digital noise, as this upgrade eradicates any trace that you find on the Blu-Ray. Skin tones appear more natural with crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores, facial hair, and scrapes. Textures such as hair and distinct ridges of costumes are prominent. This 4K UHD presentation delivers notable gains in detail, clarity, and color. 

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides a Dolby Atmos track that levels up the killer DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track on the accompanying Blu-Ray. From the beginning, you know it is going to be a room-shaking, immersive audio experience. The film calls upon all of the surround speakers consistently during both the character-driven moments and the cavalcade of boisterous action sequences. The low end response from the subwoofer gives the huge set pieces the appropriate weight.

Atmospheric sound effects are explored with a greater degree of directional accuracy within the mix so that sounds appear even more lifelike. The utilization of the height channels shows their worth in the obvious and discrete effects that make the narrative much more three-dimensional and immersive. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting drowned out by the music or sound effects. This film has a memorable soundtrack that permeates the room in an enveloping manner. As with the video side of things, you could not hope for better from a modern studio sound mix.  

Special Features

• Will & Martin – Chemistry, Legacy & Laughs: A four-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the long-running collaboration between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, their dynamic on set, and more. 

• Fights, Camera, Action A four-minute look at the epic action scenes, the originality they wanted to bring to certain stunts, how the action is tailored to the characters, the intense training, and more. 

• Outtakes & Bloopers: A three-minute collection of flubbed lines, laughing fits, goofing off and more. 

• The Bruckheimer Legacy – Crafting Bad Boys & Beyond: A four-minute look at the legendary producer guiding the ship. 

• Partners In Crime: A nearly six-minute overview of the expanded “Bad Boys” team and how characters have been built up over the course of the franchise. 

• Deleted Scenes: There are five scenes totaling seven minutes of unused material provided here that leans more toward family life complemented by some cop moments. 

• Previews

Final Thoughts

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is not the pinnacle of the franchise, but it is a respectable next chapter that should please longtime fans and casual action enthusiasts. Where this film thrives is in the dynamic between Mike and Marcus, as the creatives know audiences will stick with these films as long as this element shines. Martin Lawrence is given some of his funniest lines to date, and Will Smith recovers well in his first major test as a leading man since the event that shall not be named. The ensemble has gotten a bit too sprawling and not all characters are given the proper attention, but the film delivers on the core tenets that fans demand. The action is amazing, the banter is hilarious, and the visual style feels fresh. We don’t ask for much, and the film makes sure we are not left disappointed. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a knockout A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. If you are in need of a rollicking, fun, this one will do the trick. Recommended 

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.