It’s been nearly 30 years since Martin Lawrence and Will Smith first teamed up to fight crime in Miami. The original Bad Boys, directed by Michael Bay and released in 1995, is unique. It was a film that captured my heart—largely thanks to the characters Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence).

That original film is one of my favorite films of all time, and over the years this has been a franchise that I’ve really enjoyed. That included the third installment—released in 2020—that saw directors Adil and Bilall take over the franchise. The directing duo is back, now four years later, as are Smith and Lawrence to add another chapter to the franchise.

As we pick up, Mike is moving forward after the events of the last film. He’s recovered physically and he’s ready to step up in his personal life. In fact, after a fun sequence between Mike and Marcus, we launch into Mike’s wedding.

Looming over it is the absence of Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who was killed in the last film. Mike and Marcus miss their friend, and Mike still feels responsible as Howard died at the hands of Mike’s son and because someone was targeting Mike. It isn’t long before the departed Captain Howard re-appears.

Some nefarious characters have made it look like Howard took bribes from the Cartel to sell out cops. Incensed, Mike and Marcus are determined to prove it isn’t true. So, too, is Howard’s daughter Judy (Rhea Seehorn), a U.S. Marshal who has her own methods.

After digging into the facts, Mike and Marcus turn to Mike’s son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), a convicted killer who sheds new light on the events surrounding Howard’s death. Mike and Marcus work to use Armando to find the real mole inside the Justice Department, but it ends up putting them all in danger. Can they protect their families and find the truth before it’s too late?

I was excited to see this franchise continue. The good here is seeing Smith and Lawrence back together. Their easy chemistry is great, and they’ve long had a fun rapport in these films. I also enjoyed some of the action sequences from Adil and Bilall, including the Third Act set piece. There are some good moments here and some pieces that work well.

But this film isn’t as cohesive and smooth as previous installments. The twists are easily predictable, the cameos feel over-the-top, and some of the bits don’t have the pop that they did in other installments. There are swaths of the film that feel awkward and a bit like a drag. In the First-and-Second Acts I struggled some with the film.

The Third Act action, and some of the emotional resonance brought by Pantoliano and Smith, were enough to pull me back in a bit. I also enjoyed the supporting work from Vanessa Hudgens and Alexander Ludwig, who return after debuting in the third installment.

This is still an enjoyable watch, particularly for fans of the franchise and the genre. It just doesn’t rise to meet the bar they’ve set with these films since 1995. It’s got its moments, but the sum of the whole doesn’t live up to some of the parts.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.