# Roger Ebert's 'Bad Boys 2' review.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760 "2003-07-20T16:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760/21 "2003-07-21T16:16:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > \*\*I think a lot of reviewers misunderstood the use of violence. When taken to the extreme that Michael Bay appears to do in this film, violence has a comedic effect rather than an horrific effect. When you take something to an extreme, it has the opposite effect. Just take a look at **RoboCop**. > \*\* Yeah, but Ebert really liked **Robocop**. I don’t think he or most mainstream reviewers dislike movie violence per se, but they want to see a new or clever use of it. Maybe the violence in BBII has nothing to add to the genre. It certainly doesn’t seem new. As mentioned above, it seems like a direct rip-off of **Police Story**. . \<-- grain of salt (I haven’t seen BBII) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760/22 "2003-07-21T16:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by widdershins \* > \*\*If people really don’t like it, it will drop a lot from it’s huge opening weekend take, meaning people (especially teens) aren’t going back for repeat viewings. If a big movie can’t sucker people in to see it twice, that means it won’t have “legs”, and keep bringing in money. That’s why the studios bank on a huge opening weekend, even more so during the summer. > > Just look at how much films like _Charlie’s Angels 2_ and _LXG_ have dropped off after their opening weekends. More than a 50% drop, that’s a sign that people didn’t like them. Look at _Pirates Of The Caribbean_ and _Finding Nemo_, both have “legs” and retained their audiences to keep making money. > \*\* It’s not just repeat business that gives a movie “legs”, but also good word of mouth. I don’t think I’ve seen a movie more than once in the theater in the past decade, but I have recommended movies to friends and attended movies based upon recommendations. All my friends who saw _Pirates of the Caribbean_ and _Finding Nemo_ said they were great, and in the latter case this encouraged me to see the movie despite a rather uninspiring ad campaign. But I’ve heard little but bad about _The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_, so there’s no way I’m shelling out $8 to see it. If they know a movie’s lousy, they’ve got to sucker in as many people as possible the opening weekend before word spreads about just how lousy it really is. I think _Godzilla_ (the American one) perfected this strategy. ---
**Author:** ![minega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@minega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minega)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760/23 "2003-07-21T17:38:09Z")
There is one thing i dont understand-this hatred for Michael Bay. Well, maybe you think he is a hack but saying ‘I wish he would die soon’ seems kind of extreme. I like him a lot-probably the best action director out there, but even if i didnt like his films, i wouldnt wish for his death for Christ’s sake. Take it easy. I also dont get the hatred for Martin Lawrence. He is actually quite a funny guy who simply cant resist horrible movies. And Ebert did not give ‘Full throttle’ a thumbs down if i remember correctly. He said it was OK for a mindless piece of cinema and even said he should have given the first one a better rating. As for Bad Boys 2, a $46 million opening is dammn good. Let’s wait and see where that goes. Frankly the first one is one of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760/24 "2003-07-21T17:45:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Marcus and his partner (Will Smith) intimidate the boy without mercy. He is threatened with the unspeakable if he lays a hand on the girl. They demand to know if he is a virgin. They slap him with the N-word. At one point a gun is pulled on him. “Ever had sex with a man?” Smith asks. Then with a leer: “Want to?” The boy is terrified. > > The needless cruelty of this scene took me out of the movie and into the minds of its makers. What were they thinking? Have they so lost touch with human nature that they think audiences will like this scene? Do they think it’s funny? I haven’t seen this movie yet, but just reading this part made me chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760/25 "2003-07-22T03:43:29Z")
Okay, now that I’ve actually seen the movie, I think I can be more fair. Basically, my thought is this. There was no reason to expect anything but outrageous, gratuitous car chases, gunplay, and explosions from this movie, and it delivered. The movie very easily could have ended about half an hour earlier than it did, but somehow it was decided to take the film an extra few yards to throw in even MORE explosions and shootouts. I wanted to laugh and laugh, and I did. The chase scene on the freeway was awesome, reminding both my friend and me of Vice City. It was supposed to be dumb fun, and it was. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roger-eberts-bad-boys-2-review/189760.md?page=1)