Displaying items by tag: Alex Bornstein

THE BAD GUYS 2

US, 2025, 104 minutes, Colour.

Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Kelly Stables.

Directed by Pierre Perifell.

Everybody enjoyed The Bad Guys in 2022. So, here we are again. There is a special Australian interest in this very American animated production. The series of The Bad Guys, graphic novels, designed for children’s audiences, was written by Australian author, former actor, Aaron Blabey. He also serves as executive producer for this film.

So, what would we expect, if we did not know the series, from a movie called The Bad Guys? Whatever it might have been, most audiences will be satisfied, many will be highly entertained.

The characters are well drawn, quite individual, a charming wolf who is the mastermind of The Bad Guys, a slithering snake who wants to be bad, a petite tarantula who is adept at computers and technology, a rather cumbersome shark with a genial personality able to adapt to many situations, and a piranha who likes baring teeth and taking over. And there are some other interesting principal characters, the governor of the state, Diane, a pleasant and attractive fox, a do-gooding Professor, minute, a guinea pig, and a large, forward bending, teeth baring, intense police chief. And, as can be seen by the credits, there is a very talented voice cast.

Actually, these paragraphs came from the review of the first film. So, this sequel will mean that the characters are very familiar, Wolf and the wisecracks, love for Diane, the secrets of the other characters, especially the police chief who is now Commissioner.

In many ways this screenplay is a repetition of the first film, the newly rehabilitated Bad Guys, trying to make good in the world, then suspected of going to the bad, their being set up by a criminal group of female characters. There is a huge climax at a wrestling match which is a cover for stealing the competition winning but which contains a highly desired element.

Then, unexpectedly, the action becomes cosmic, spacecraft, travel into space, a giant station and everyone involved in confrontations and battles.

One of the main advantages for all audiences is that the screenplay is quite humorous, a lot of repartee and banter, some ironies, not just for the young but engaging enough to entertain older audiences.

1. The popularity of Aaron Blabey’s books, graphic novels series? Characters, adventures?
2. The style of the animation, each of the distinctive characters, settings, conventions, prisons, cells, public meetings, the laboratories, the wrestling match, the crowds, the sea of crowds in pursuit, space, spacecraft, the giant plant, conflicts, special effects and stunts? The musical score?
3. The title, the group of animal characters, their reputation, philosophy of life, camaraderie? An interesting group of characters? Plus Professor Marmalade, plus Diane, plus the police chief? The introduction of the trio of villains, female, Susan and Snake and flirting, people in the wrestling, Kitty Cat and the mastermind?
4. The dialogue, the humour, wit, repartee? Engaging for younger audiences? Entertaining for adult audiences?
5. Audience interest in each of the characters, Wolf as leader, his appearance, manner of speaking, self-confidence, thinking himself as a Big Bad Wolf, mastermind, the various crimes and robberies, his plans, his repartee? Reform, lack of opportunities, the romance with Diane and then meetings?
6. Snake, drawing, voice, characteristics of snakes, wanting to be bad, feeling betrayed by Wolf when he becomes good? Skills in the plots, slithering, x-ray eyes? Voice? Suspected of being the thief? The relationship with Susan? The betrayal and disillusionment?
7. Tarantula, many fingers, adept at technology, her voice, loyalties?
8. Shark, large, variety of voices, impersonations, as female, as male, improvising, meeting people, singing, providing diversions?
9. Piranha, teeth, small, vicious, taking over at times, performing and attracting attention?
10. Diane, the governor, the smooth fox, charm, political career, condemning the Bad Guys, her interviews? Her wanting them to be reformed? Handing over to Professor Marmalade? Her supervision, the revelation that she was a jewel thief, her reform, being good, helping people? Her being abducted, the video of her past identity, in the spacecraft, helping Wolf, the final romantic ending?
11. Professor Marmalade? His very British voice? Guinea pig? Diminutive? With Diane, and the revelation about the theft?
12. The police chief, now Commissioner, large, her teeth, her walk, vigorous, always on the attack, wanting to get the Bad Guys? The encounter with Wolf, the element, the belt, the robbery, the wrestling match, the further revelations, the solution, and her plan to show that the Bad Guys had died, but they are about to become secret agents?
13. Susan, her charm, with caps late, the seduction, the revelation, the wrestling match, the peak, setting up The Bad Guys, Kitty Kat and her personality, thief, the gang?
14. The plans, the vast centre, into space, the Bad Guys versus the bad females, battles, Diane and her intervention, the fights? And the transition to the Bad Guys being mourned, dead but heroes?
15. The Commissioner and her plan, the agents, the car, the romantic ending – and the plans for the next sequel?