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SUMMARY

  • Will Smith and Martin Lawrence returned to their most popular role in the four-quel Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which released earlier this year.
  • The film was a surprise hit, with many shocked that Will Smith's Slapgate did not affect the box office returns of the film.
  • One action scene in particular involving Dennis McDonald's Reggie has been drawing praises and even comparisons to John Wick.

When Keanu Reeves’ John Wick was released back in 2014, it changed the action genre for good. The shaky-cam, fast-cuts style popularized by the Jason Bourne franchise and the MCU was done away with for more elaborate gun-fu-inspired combat sequences. The films have influenced many others like Nobody, Extraction, and Atomic Blonde.

However, the John Wick franchise may have a new competitor in town as the recent Will Smith-starrer Bad Boys: Ride or Die gave fans a surprisingly adrenaline-pumping action sequence. While Smith himself is not involved in the scene, Dennis McDonald’s Reggie steals the show as he takes on fifteen men who attack his home.

Badass Sequence From Will Smith’s Bad Boys 4 Gets Compared To John Wick

Will Smith and Martin LawrenceWill Smith in Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Credits: Sony Pictures

Will Smith’s infamous Slapgate at the Oscars did not turn out to be the career-ender that everyone predicted as the actor’s four-quel Bad Boys: Ride or Die became a blockbuster earlier this year. The Adil & Billal directorial earned over $403 million at the box office and saw Martin Lawrence and Smith return to the franchise (via Box Office Mojo).

While the film is filled with action set-pieces, one in particular seems to have impressed fans. The incredible combat scene takes place in the middle of the film where Martin Lawrence’s Marcus and Will Smith’s Mike witness the former’s son-in-law defend his family when the antagonist’s team of soldiers enter to kidnap them.

Keanu Reeves as John WickKeanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4 | Credits: Lionsgate

The character Reggie, who is constantly bullied by Lawrence and Smith in the franchise, gets an incredible arc where he quickly takes out fifteen trained soldiers single-handedly. He is also established as a marine and earns the respect of his father-in-law. Fans were ecstatic to see the incredibly choreographed scene and compared it to John Wick.

Since when did bad boys become John Wick

— im so proud of you. see you soon. ⁷🪖🦀 (@LinseysLifeee) September 19, 2024

If this isn’t the definition of "locked in," I don’t know what is

— Mimia (@mimiaXpnk) September 19, 2024

The action scene does not even involve Will Smith or Martin Lawrence as they resort to watching the events unfold through security cameras. Reggie even gets another shot at redemption when the duo allows him to roast his chicken on the barbecue.

Bad Boys 4’s Reggie Received Intensive Training For His Heroic Moment

Dennis McDonald as ReggieReggie in Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Credits: Sony Pictures

Dennis McDonald a.k.a Reggie was introduced to the world in Bad Boys II when he showed up at Martin Lawrence’s Lt. Marcus’ doorstep to take his daughter out on a date. In what is one of the funniest scenes in the film, Marcus and Will Smith’s Mike proceed to give him the father treatment and roast him.

However, the character finally received redemption over a decade later in Bad Boys: Ride or Die when he took out fifteen armed soldiers in a badass combat scene. McDonald mentioned that he trained well for the scenes and he would just go on automatic mode despite hindrances while filming (via EW),

There were times where they would have the special effects, and the blood had got in my eye, and I’m still working through the scene. I’m elbowing the guy and taking his clip out of his gun; that whole scene, I can’t even see. I’m just doing that off of just me remembering the [moves]. That was intense.

The actor also mentioned that he looked up military training exercises and prepared extensively even before the team sent him for training.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is available to rent on Apple TV.

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Written by Nishanth A

Articles Published: 1375

Nishanth A is a Media, English and Psychology graduate from Bangalore. He is an avid DC fanboy and loves the films of Christopher Nolan. He has published over 1,000 articles on FandomWire. When he's not fixating on the entire filmography of a director, he tries to write and direct films.