REVIEW: Dreamworks “The Bad Guys”

REVIEW: Dreamworks “The Bad Guys”

May 13th, 2022

Martin Goodman

While DreamWorks may not be able to summon the financial and technical resources that you-know-who possesses, that does not mean that they cannot produce a good film, and with their latest effort, The Bad Guys, they mostly succeed. Though the world-building is weird, and some character reversals are rather facile, this is one entertaining flick with the chops to be more than another animated throwaway.

We have here a wild heist movie that contains spot-on homages to at least seven (by my count) other movies folded into its plot. I won’t name these movies because part of the fun is identifying them yourself. While I usually decry the blatant use of homage as a cheap stunt used by weak scriptwriters, The Bad Guys play the game in a tongue-in-cheek manner that brings appreciation for the sources, not a clumsy attempt by the writers at being clever.

The titular Bad Guys consist of suave, calculating team leader Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Shark (Craig Robertson), a neurotic would-be disguise artist, Mr. Piranha, a hot-tempered, impulsive piscine played by Anthony Ramos, computer hacker supreme Ms, Tarantula (Awkafina in yet another animated voice-over role), and Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), best bud and lieutenant to Mr. Wolf. They are deliberate, self-aware bad guys and revel in those roles, relishing their expertise in crime while wallowing in a hideout full of loot. They are the guys you love to hate.

Not so much is true for Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein), the Chief of Police who is obsessed with putting the bad bunch behind bars, and Mayor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beets), who may possibly be closer to the Bad Guys creed than one would think. Reporting on the ongoing battle for law and order is Tiffany Fluffit (Lily Singh). Her hyperbolic newscasts are a great touch. In the midst of all this, esteemed philanthropist Professor Rupert Marmelade IV is a secretly evil guinea pig about to receive the Golden Dolphin award. The award, which serves as the film’s apparent McGuffin, is the target of the Bad Guys’ latest heist…although there may be surprising competitors for the theft of the Golden Dolphin…and who is the mysterious Crimson Paw?

First-time feature film director Pierre Perifel, who joined DreamWorks in 2008, directs with flair. Although the plot is sinuous with several twists, The Bad Guys perfectly define a kid’s film with considerable adult crossover. After all, the story was taken from a series of books for kids by Aaron Blabey before screenwriter Etan Cohen massaged it for a wider audience. The only weaknesses are sudden character reversals and flatulence jokes that seem to be standard in all kid’s movies today. But at least the lethal farts, courtesy of Mr. Piranha, advance the plot. The film’s message? “It is better to feel good than to be bad.”

The animation deserves mention: DWA Glendale, augmented by Jellyfish Pictures, is clearly not photorealistic, and the days of The Prince of Egypt when DreamWorks attempted to confront Disney on their own terms is very much over. The CGI has the appearance of a film done by painting the characters and backgrounds, and the effect is pleasing. DreamWorks solved the age-old problem of animating lifelike eyes by giving them a 2-D, cartoony appearance. While the animation does not resemble that of classic cartoons, the overall impression is that their look is strongly implied.

In sum, this is one of the better animated features of 2022 thus far and will likely be better received than the umpteenth reiteration of Dru and the minions by animation fans with more discriminating tastes.

Reviewer’s Note: Due to many changes in my life, health, marital status, and geographical location over the past year, I have been largely unable to contribute regular reviews to Animation Scoop. Suffice it to say that all have been happily resolved, and it is indeed good to be back again. Again, I thank Mr. Beck for his patience and forbearance.