Common Sense Media Review
Cop sequel has more violence, language, and drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Bad Boys II
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 34 kid reviews
Kids say this movie contains extreme graphic violence, strong sexual content, and pervasive foul language, making it highly inappropriate for younger audiences. Many found it entertaining and hilarious, appreciating its action-packed nature, but almost all reviewers agree it is definitely not suitable for children.
- graphic violence
- strong language
- sexual content
- not for kids
- action-packed
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In BAD BOYS II, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith return as buddy cops who toss off-color wisecracks in between rounds of ammunition. Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) is now a worrying family man, while Mike Lowrey (Smith) doubles down as a go-for-it playa. This time, Marcus' sister, Syd (Gabrielle Union), a DEA agent, is in town. But she hasn't told her brother that she's working undercover on a dangerous investigation—or that she's romantically involved with Mike. Meanwhile, Marcus and Mike have smashed up most of the cars in Miami but haven't yet made any progress on tracking down the drug dealer they're after. When Syd finds herself in over her head, Mike and Marcus will destroy anything in their way to save her.
Is It Any Good?
Smith's old-fashioned real-deal movie star charm can occasionally be glimpsed somewhere inside this overlong cacophony of car chases, shoot-'em-ups, and explosions. But Bad Boys II remains generic and mind-numbingly loud and violent. Riddled with racial and homophobic slurs—used by leads and villains alike—the movie is more empty flash than story.
Director Michael Bay can shoot action sequences and stunts. But he's less successful at making viewers care, especially when the plot veers into the truly preposterous with a massive invasion of Cuba. For anyone other than hard-core action fans, it just gets overwhelming and a little tedious. Bay makes the fatal mistakes of forgetting to include a memorable or interesting villain or a capable female lead. Instead, we get a stereotyped paranoid drug dealer who's overly attached to his mother and daughter and a love interest who's desperate to be saved.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Bad Boys II. How is violence used for entertainment? How much is too much? What impact does it have on kids?
Is the profanity necessary to the story, or did it seem excessive? Why?
Did you notice any stereotypes or homophobia in the film? How does this date the movie? What are some other ways in which the movie feels like a product of its time?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 17, 2003
- On DVD or streaming : December 8, 2003
- Cast : Gabrielle Union , Martin Lawrence , Will Smith
- Director : Michael Bay
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 150 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence and action, pervasive language, sexuality and drug content.
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate