Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
‘The Bad Guys’ will steal your heart
What happens when an animation studio crosses “Ocean’s 11” with “The Blues Brothers”? Audiences are treated to a lovely and stylized gem called “The Bad Guys.” And it’s so charming in its simplicity and wild pacing that this pack of villain-adjacent thieves will steal anybody’s heart right out from under them.
DreamWorks is one of the last big animation studios that can compete with Disney/Pixar after they bought up and shut down Blue Sky Studios. DreamWorks’ history is interesting, churning out big hits like “The Prince of Egypt,” “Shrek” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”
But the studio has its fair share of stinkers, from “Shark Tale” to “Boss Baby.” Thankfully, “The Bad Guys” is a breath of fresh air that’s as funny as it is stylish.
In a strange world where humans and anthropomorphic animals live side- byside, one pack of thieves spends their days pulling heists in a Los Angeles-style city. Their leaders? Wolf (Sam Rockwell), a George Clooney impostor who drives fast and operates as the brains of the group. His right hand? An aging and grumpy codger by the name of Snake (Marc Maron).
The film opens with them in a diner chatting about birthdays and big plays in what looks like an homage to “Pulp Fiction.” As they go to rob a bank, Wolf introduces the rest of his crew with a casual (and not quite necessary) breaking of the fourth wall. There’s Tarantula (Awkwafina), Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Shark ( Craig Robinson).
Wolf advances the movie with a fun car chase full of police vehicle destruction, the likes of which is only matched by Jake and Elwood Blues. Everything seems to be going great until Wolf and his gang bungle their biggest heist and are arrested. But, seeking to outwit his captors, Wolf challenges the governor, Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), to give his crew a chance to become better.
And a philanthropic guinea pig by the name of Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) takes on the task of teaching this crew of criminals to be good, with the prize being a full pardon for the gang if they succeed.
While the story isn’t difficult to see through and predict, the characters are so darn charming and/or cute that viewers will realize this is a heist movie aimed at a younger audience not quite ready for Clooney and Brad Pitt robbing Vegas casinos yet.
“The Bad Guys” is based on a graphic novel series with the same name by Aaron Blabey, and DreamWorks did such a beautiful job of making this movie look and feel like a graphic novel. So many shots feel like they’re leaping off a page. Bold shadows and deep lines, along with a color palette best described as vibrant smeared with grunge.
It’s a wild style that matches the pace and zany action of this thrilling animated film. This will easily be a contender for best animated feature at the Oscars next year (before inevitably losing to something from Disney or Pixar).
In addition to looking and feeling marvelous, “The Bad Guys” also has a killer soundtrack that perfectly complements the movie’s vibe. When the audience needs to feel excited, the music will make them excited. And when viewers need to slow down for a rare moment of heart, the music will remove their foot from the gas pedal.
World building really does end up being “The Bad Guys’” only weakness. Viewers shouldn’t have any trouble accepting all the wacky heists and getting behind a group of animals working through their own inner flaws as they struggle to be … something good … something bad … a bit of both? But the generic southern California-ish city, in which they race through their epic journey, is a little weak.
But this is a small complaint in an otherwise brilliant and amusing offering from DreamWorks. “The Bad Guys” is out in theaters today.