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Some Good Boys Return in ‘The Bad Guys 2’

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DreamWorks Animation Studios is known for spawning franchises that define generations of children. With currently no less than nine separate series and franchises, there’s no slowing down this studio and the type of storytelling they are producing for families and audiences of all ages. That being said, I didn’t feel like a sequel to The Bad Guys was needed or necessary when I watched the first film. Narratively, the 2022 film came to a natural and fulfilling conclusion for all the characters involved, so where could the studio possibly go from here? Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait for those answers, as we’re now just days away from The Bad Guys 2 arriving in theaters, continuing the story of the anthropomorphic animals who give up their criminal ways to become model citizens! At least… that’s the goal.

Director Pierre Perifel returns as director of the animated adaptation of Aaron Blabey’s book series, which sees Mr. Wolf and his comrades thrust back into the criminal underbelly, mostly against their will. With a screenplay full of younger-skewed humor from Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen (Idiocracy, Tropic Thunder), The Bad Guys 2 is hoping to recapture the energy and heart from the first film. Does DreamWorks have another runaway film on its hands, or is The Bad Guys 2 criminally underwhelming? 

[Warning: light spoilers and impressions from The Bad Guys 2 are below!]

Life isn’t sunshine and rainbows in this DreamWorks animated film

Following the capture and imprisonment of Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), Mr. Fox (Sam Rockwell) and his friends are facing a harsh reality. While they may have hung up their wicked ways, the world hasn’t forgotten their past.

Serving as a reflection to those in America who attempt to re-enter the world/workforce after incarceration, these ex-bad guys can’t seem to catch a break from those around them. They are living in squalor, facing past-due bills, and unable to secure necessities such as food and water. Apparently, it doesn’t pay to save the world from an evil guinea pig mastermind.

Just when it seems like they’ve reached the end of their proverbial rope, life throws them a curveball. Plucked out of their new lives and criminal retirement, the Wolf Pack are thrust back into a world that they vowed to give up. As Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), the leader of the rival criminal group, promises, this is one last job, and then they can give up being bad guys once and for all.

Unable to turn it down, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Webs (Awkwafina), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) have to embrace their wicked side one more time and hopefully not alienate themselves from the general public any more than they already are.

Can our heroes make it out alive without losing themselves in the process, or is all the good work they’ve done lost forever as they become bad guys once again?

The Bad Guys 2
Still from The Bad Guys 2 (Universal/Dreamworks).

The Bad Guy 2 pales in comparison to its predecessor

As I mentioned earlier, when I first watched The Bad Guys, I couldn’t see why a sequel was necessary or what direction it could take. The first film was so satisfying that I worried that anything that followed might tarnish the perfect ending that these characters were given. While the ending and growth for Mr. Wolf and his friends weren’t ruined, The Bad Guys 2 didn’t have the same impact as its prequel had.

That’s not to say that I didn’t have a fun time watching the film; in fact, I enjoyed watching it with my seven-year-old nephew quite a lot. But it feels like some of the layers were stripped away to keep the target audience entertained. As we sat in a crowded theater of children and their parents, you couldn’t help but chuckle at the roars from the younger audiences. They loved every minute of it, but there was a sacrifice of some of the complex ideas and narrative threads that I enjoyed in The Bad Guys, and substituted for one too many fart jokes.

It felt like The Bad Guys 2 shifted its focus towards an adventure film, placing greater emphasis on the larger action sequences over the underlying message. Perhaps part of that change was to set up the larger Bad Guys universe/franchise, which it absolutely does. The promise of what’s to come excites me more than what this sequel had to offer, meaning that if another film eventually arrives, I’ll be lined up on day one to watch it.

This makes it sound like The Bad Guys 2 is bad, which it definitely is not, as it is one of the better animated films from recent years. There is plenty of action and laughter that will keep you entertained until the end. However, when the first film is so strong and delivers something special, it overshadows The Bad Guys 2 in almost every way. Those looking for someone on par with the original might be disappointed, but if you can separate it, you might just be surprised.

The animation style is still striking compared to other DreamWorks films, more reminiscent of the latest Puss in Boots film than, say, Shrek. It felt like pages from a book come to life, with some of the backgrounds feeling painted on instead of the smooth effect that many DreamWorks films have. The Bad Guy 2 looks slightly different from its predecessor, but not enough to feel jarring. Instead, the animators have cleaned up the graphics and smoothed out some of the rough feel of the first.

The Bad Guys 2 is worth a trip to the cinema with the family

There have been so many incredible family-friendly films in 2025, with The Bad Guys 2 coming at the perfect time when audiences need an escape from the heat. While you may not leave the theater feeling completely gobsmacked as I was with the first film, The Bad Guys 2 does enough to warrant a trip with the family. It’ll provide plenty of laughs for younger audiences, providing you with a heartwarming bonding moment that your children will remember for a lifetime.

The Bad Guys 2 arrives in theaters Friday! Plan on checking it out? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!

Also check out: Dog Man is a Comic World For Younger Audiences!

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Brian Kitson

Working hard to bring you the latest news and thoughtful analysis of all things nerdy!

Brian Kitson has 399 posts and counting. See all posts by Brian Kitson