REVIEW: 'The Bad Guys 2' Is A Visual Spectacle That Is DreamWorks' Highest Achievement
- Christopher Mills
- Jul 24
- 5 min read
DreamWorks has been extremely hit and miss lately, from hits such as The Bad Guys, The Wild Robot and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish to some unfortunate misses such as Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and Kung Fu Panda 4. They’re a studio that knows how to make stunning films that stay with you once the credits roll, and The Bad Guys 2 is the perfect example of when DreamWorks gets it right.
The Bad Guys 2 follows the crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws who are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys. However, they’re pulled out of retirement and forced to do “one last job” by an all-female squad of criminals who call themselves The Bad Girls and have a plan to achieve the biggest heist of all time.
Job Hunting Is The Real Evil
There was some worry that with the premise of The Bad Guys turning good, the franchise would quickly become what Despicable Me has, a franchise that has lost all its identity. The Bad Guys 2 instead takes this premise, and while still remaining a by-the-books animated movie aimed at children, it still manages to sneak in a complex story about the Bad Guy’s journey to turning good. What also helps with this is that The Bad Guys was always about this crew having the itch to do some good, with the first film touching on that and The Bad Guys 2 further exploring how to navigate a world where they’re only seen as criminals.
Etan Cohen and Yoni Brenner, who are the writers for The Bad Guys 2, have a great understanding of the message they’re sending with this movie. That message is to not let other people tell you who you are and what you can’t or can be and to set your own path. The opening of the movie showcases Tarantula’s (Awkwafina) first heist with the crew as they steal their iconic car in Cairo, Egypt and it truly highlights how happy the Bad Guys are when they're taking on heists and how they feel fulfilled, just to instantly cut to present day and show the contrast of how all that happiness has vanished as they attempt to turn good while looking for jobs.
Jobs are hard to acquire in real life, and that translates into The Bad Guys 2. The crew find themselves getting rejected at every job as the city refuses to trust that the Bad Guys are trying to turn over a new leaf. It's not only a strong message to teach young kids that doing bad can lead to the struggles of getting a job and getting back on your feet but also shows the reality of how hard it can be to get a simple job in a society that just fails to give chances.
The Bad Guys Keep It Somewhat Simple
This is a movie aimed at a younger audience, and this leads to the story being surface level just so that kids can get an understanding of what's going on, but The Bad Guys 2 manages to take a simple story and be extremely on the nose while also telling a complex story about Mr. Wolf's (Sam Rockwell) moral compass. When I say that this movie is extremely on the nose, I'm talking about so on the nose that it's hilarious. The Bad Guys begin to get framed as a new crew has hopped onto the scene hitting various locations and leaving behind the calling card of the Bad Guys, which leads the public and Commissioner Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein) to believe they're behind it all. The crew tries to prove their innocence, but it all blows up in their face as the real culprits, the Bad Girls, which consists of Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), Doom (Natasha Lyonne), and Pigtail Petrova (Maria Bakalova) shows themselves and reveal what their real plan is.
To steal a space rocket, go to space, use the Macguffinnite and steal all the world's gold. You heard that right; the item that helps to keep the story moving forward is called a Macguffinnite. It's a joke that will go over the head of its younger audience, but it's more in line with the audience that grew up on slapstick comedy. All of this humour doesn't take away from the emotional depth that's provided to Wolf, Snake (Marc Maron), Shark (Craig Robinson), Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Tarantula. The crew get thrown into situations that put them under a whole lot of pressure, as it's not only their reputation on the line but Diane Foxington's (Zazie Beetz) too, as her secret identity as the Crimson Paw is also on the line.
There are real stakes at hand and moral dilemmas at play, and it really makes you forget that the story starts off by being rather by the book's storyline to then show that Cohen and Brenner care about the characters and world. It also helps that Kitty Kat as an antagonist feels threatening; she brings these stakes to the film, and they linger around and change the trajectory of the entire film, which heads in a direction by the end of the third act that’s completely unexpected.
DreamWorks Has Hit A Gold Mine
The Bad Guys was the first DreamWorks film to showcase that they could use a different art direction and animation style from usual and make it work. It helped the film stand out, and it changed DreamWorks for the better. The Bad Guys was already a film that was mind-blowing with its animation and visuals, but The Bad Guys 2 takes it beyond what I thought was capable. The Bad Guys 2's third act has some of the best animation that's been seen in a DreamWorks movie and even rivals some of the best, such as Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. Visually it's the highlight of the film, and it makes you think just what else is DreamWorks capable of.
The Bad Guys seems to be the franchise for DreamWorks that will allow them to experiment with their animation, as their art direction allows them to get away with so much. There are scenes where the animation will switch to 2D as they scream. It's colourful and expressive, which are the two ingredients you need to keep audiences engaged with an animated movie.
Keep The Bad Guys Coming
The Bad Guys 2 is a highlight of what DreamWorks is capable of when they put all their effort into it. From the intelligent script that Cohen and Brenner wrote to the adventurous direction from Pierre Perifel that brings that script to life. It's an impressive movie that has left a lasting effect and is undoubtedly DreamWorks best animated movie yet. If they continue in this direction, they'll be a studio that'll outdo themselves with every film they release.
The Bad Guys 2 takes risks with its ending, and it's hard to say whether these risks will play out in their favour, but it's a risk that I'm willing to watch play out, as it could change the dynamic of The Bad Guys franchise for good.
Rating: ★★★★☆
About The Bad Guys 2
Premiere Date: July 25, 2025
Executive Producers: Damon Ross
Writers: Etan Cohen and Yoni Brenner
Director: Pierre Perifel
Production: DreamWorks Animation
Distribution: Universal Pictures
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lily Singh, Alex Borstein
Synopsis: The Bad Guys 2 follows the crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws who are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys. However, they're pulled out of retirement and forced to do "one last job" by an all-female squad of criminals.
Comments