Every Michael Bay Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

2. Bad Boys

michael bay movies
Sony Pictures Releasing

We already mentioned that the smaller scale and limited budget of Bad Boys worked in its favour, and when you put the first film and its sequel side by side, it's clear which is better, and why.

From a pure action perspective the sequel wins out, but action can't carry a movie - memorable characters and great humour can. Bad Boys does have its fair share of action, but it's also got an undying focus on Smith/Lawrence just talking, cracking jokes, and arguing with one another. These are the best parts of the movie, something that the sequel forgot.

Bad Boys isn't a cinematic masterpiece, but the two charismatic leads are at the top of their game, and this more foul-mouthed spin on the buddy-cop formula does help it feel distinct when placed alongside the Lethal Weapons and Beverly Hills Cops of the world.

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for almost nine years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing for 10+ years, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers and uploading them to YouTube (they're admittedly a bit rusty by today's standards). If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order or to tell you about the making of 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, Danny is the person to ask.