The Bad Guys (2022)

Title:  The Bad Guys 

Year:  2022

Genre:  Animation | Adventure | Comedy | 

Runtime:  100 min

Director:  Pierre Peritel

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Alex Borstein

6.9/10

Several reformed yet misunderstood criminal animals attempt to become good, with some disastrous results along the way.

SOLID ANIMATION AND

A CHARMING STORY SAVE THE GIST

The Bad Guys take out the competition at the box office and have played out well for being an animated film. It follows the Big Bad Wolf, a snake, a piranha, a shark and a tarantula.

The film is based on the children’s books with the same name, written by Aaron Blabey. The film stars Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson and Anthony Ramos. It’s directed by Pierre Perifel. This film has an obvious outcome. A predictable ending. As we know from the start, this gang of scary-looking animals. Predators among the good-looking kind become softer as the story moves forward. The story might be a soft one, but the character and the voice-acting are what sells this film so good. It was making it worth watching. The animation style of Perifel brings a new charming and distinct look of this DreamWorks production to a new level by making it look like a comic book, integrated with the character. The fluid flow makes it an easy score on the eyes.

The plot follows an Ocean Eleven-esque heist-type film where the villain turns into good by the end credits or does it? Although you might think it’s a simple film, it is not. It’s having a depth few animated films usually have and some plot twist along the way. However, if these twists are believable, is a different thing. Everything is a plot twist, that’s what it feels like, and the humour makes it worth it. It’s not overwritten with humour, but it has also good chemistry between the characters where you might feel like you’ve known these characters for years.

This is a lot thanks to the good quality of voice-acting with Sam Rockwell in the lead where his sarcastic charm lives up to his character’s sneaky tone. That characteristic is what makes it a strong lead. It’s not Disney’s Zootropolis where Jason Bateman brings his fox to life with his talent. Although it might not be the best-animated film out there, it might just as well be the most heart-warming funny one that appreciates what you have, not what you want. It’s about being good, making the moralistic decision and the affection from it. Just as well, it’s about the goodness of friendship and trust in each other. Something this film depicts pretty well and that’s why it’s an interesting and entertaining film to watch right now.