As bad as they want to be (CREDIT: DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures)

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh

Director: Pierre Perifel

Running Time: 104 Minutes

Rating: PG for Gravity-Defying Cartoon Action

Release Date: August 1, 2025 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Following their release from prison, the anthropomorphic professional criminal crew known straightforwardly as “The Bad Guys” – Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Tarantula (Awkwafina), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) – is trying to break good. But that’s not so easy with their notorious resumes holding them back. Plus, there are certain factions who would rather they stay in the heist game, particularly a group of lady criminals who frame them, kidnap them, and force them into their plan to commandeer a space station to steal all of the world’s gold. Through it all, they try to convince the skeptical chief of police (Alex Borstein) that she can trust them, even though they keep forgetting that she’s been promoted to commissioner. At least they have an ally in the form of Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), who’s tried to help them on the inside while doing her best to keep her own sketchy past a secret.

What Made an Impression?: Laughing the Story Along: The plot of The Bad Guys 2 revolves around a device called “MacGuffinite,” which made me and a few other adults in the screening chuckle. If you’re a cinephile, you probably already know that a MacGuffin (also spelled “McGuffin”) is a device that drives the action of a story forward, without being what the story is really about. I doubt that the youngsters that this movie is primarily targeted towards will get the reference, but it’s a nice touch nonetheless.
Vibrant Colors & Familiar Voices: Weirdly enough, I haven’t seen the first Bad Guys movie, nor have I read the graphic novels they’re based on, nor do I have any kiddos in my life to pester me about their love for them. So while I’m not bringing much emotional investment to this theatrical experience, I can still appreciate the zippy painterly animation (and its occasional hallucinatory switches into other styles) and also enjoy playing a round of, “Hey, Who’s That Actor’s Voice I’m Pretty Sure I Recognize?”
Completing the Assignment: Ultimately, The Bad Guys 2 held my attention and provided some mildly diverting attention for an hour and a half. And I wasn’t asking for anything more than that! Maybe you’ll vibe with this one a little more than I did, whether or not you’re a kid, and whether or not you have kids. But we can go ahead and file this review of mine under “Not a Rave, But Can’t Complain.”

The Bad Guys 2 is Recommended If You Like: Heists for Beginners

Grade: 3 out of 5 MacGuffinites