The Bad Guys, newly released in theaters, has received many positive reviews from audiences and critics alike. The animated crime comedy film is based on Aaron Blabey’s Scholastic books series for children of the same name. It marks French animator Pierre Perifel’s directorial debut. The screenplay is written by Etan Cohen, who also serves as an executive producer along with Blabey and Patrick Hughes. Emmy-award-winning English songwriter and composer Daniel Pemberton has composed the film's score.
DreamWorks Animation’s latest installment in partnership with Universal Pictures aims to be a part of the same line of hit animated movies like Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and many more. The film takes its audiences to an animated world where anthropomorphic animals and human beings live together, just like in the Pokemon series. It follows the capers of a notorious criminal animal crew -- Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake, and Ms. Tarantula -- who are the most wanted villains in the world. After carrying out countless heists over the years, the crew is finally captured. In order to avoid slammer time, the animal gang is forced to become good model citizens.
The Bad Guys: What's It About?
The Bad Guy's premise is as follows:
In the new action-comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet—becoming model citizens.
Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys—dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), aka “Webs.”
But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.
Under the tutelage of their mentor Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), an arrogant (but adorable!) guinea pig, The Bad Guys set out to fool the world that they’ve been transformed. Along the way, though, Mr. Wolf begins to suspect that doing good for real may give him what he’s always secretly longed for acceptance. So when a new villain threatens the city, can Mr. Wolf persuade the rest of the gang to become … The Good Guys?
The Bad Guys: The Cast
The Bad Guys' voice cast bursts with some famous big names like all animated movies. The lousy group of animals is led by Academy Award-winner Sam Rockwell, playing the role of Mr. Wolf. He is famous for portraying George W. Bush in Vice and won an award for playing Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Craig Robinson plays Mr. Shark. He is famous for playing Darryl in The Office and in Hot Tub Time Machine movies as Nick. He has also voiced characters in The Cleveland Show, American Dad, and Big Mouth.
Awkwafina voices Ms. Tarantula. She has previously voiced the character Sisu in the hit Disney movie Raya and The Last Dragon and Angry Birds 2 and Storks. Stand-up comedian Marc Maron voices Mr. Snake. In 2015 and 2016, he was the voice of the raccoon Randl on Nickelodeon’s Harvey Beaks and co-starred in Netflix’s Glow. Broadway star Anthony Ramos voices Mr. Piranha. Ramos has received a Primetime Emmy nomination for his excellent performance Disney+ live stage recording of Hamilton. FX’s comedy-drama Atlanta star Zazie Beetz voices Diana Foxington, The Crimson Paw. Richard Ayoade and Alex Borstein as Professor Rupert Marmalade IV and Police Chief Misty Luggins, respectively. YouTuber and comedian Lilly Singh voices Tiffany Fluffit.
The Bad Guys is an entertaining animated movie that tries to deliver an important message to kids about the unhealthy consequences of stereotypes. The adaptation brings a pleasing modern take to the idiom: “A wolf in a sheep’s clothing.” It takes a compassionate approach to a gang of criminals pretending to be morally good. It's a fast-paced, fun movie and doesn't bore you at any minute. It imparts an excellent valuable lesson to children and adults as well. Pierre Perifel, humorously referencing some of his all-time favorite action films, ultimately delivers a more child-friendly Ocean’s Eleven feel. In an interview with Stack, the director said:
“In it, I saw the imagery of Steven Soderbergh, Guy Ritchie, and Quentin Tarantino; I saw the action maestri of Japanese anime and the graphic silliness of the French graphic novels I grew up with – all the way to the heist soundtracks and the cool, jazzy swagger of British films. It was all there, and it was delightful.”
Though The Bad Guys movie was released worldwide in March 2022, it hit theaters in the US in April 2022. After 45 days, the film will be available on the streaming service Peacock in the US and on Netflix in the months following.