Bad Boys II

Theatrical release poster

***Bad Boys II*** is a 2003 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. The sequel to the 1995 film *Bad Boys* and the second film in the *Bad Boys* film series, the film follows detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigating the flow of illegal drugs going into Miami.

*Bad Boys II* was released on July 18, 2003. It received extremely negative reviews from critics but did fairly well commercially, grossing $273 million worldwide. A third film, *Bad Boys for Life*, was released in January 2020.

## Plot

Eight years after the events of the first film, Mike and Marcus are investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami. They infiltrate a Klan meeting held in the marshland outside of Miami only to discover that they are, in fact, buyers and not distributors of the ecstasy. After a radio mishap leads to a delayed arrival of Miami Police’s Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT), Mike and Marcus end up in a shootout with the Klansmen that results in many casualties and injuries, with Marcus accidentally sustaining a gunshot wound to the buttocks from Mike.

These antics lead Marcus to re-evaluate whether he wants to remain partners with Mike, who is secretly dating Syd, Marcus’ younger sister. Unbeknownst to both Marcus and Mike, Syd is working undercover for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a money launderer to a branch of the Russian Mafia operating in Miami’s drug trade. The Russians, in turn, are the main distributors of ecstasy for Cuban drug lord Hector Juan Carlos “Johnny” Tapia. After laundering a large sum of money for the Russians, Syd is intercepted by a Haitian Zoe Pound gang while she is transporting the money. Mike and Marcus, working on a tip from an informant, had been following the Haitians when the latter made their move, leading to an extensive gun battle and car chase between Miami police cars, Mike Lowery's Ferrari 550, and a stolen 18-wheeler car carrier driven by the Haitians through Miami that resulted in significant collateral damage and loss of life as well as the angry reprimand of Mike and Marcus by Captain Howard, who was further angered to find out the DEA was running an investigation in Miami without consulting him first.

Mike and Marcus then track down the surviving Haitians, and after another gun battle inside the leader’s house, they interrogate the leader and learn from one of the Haitian’s video camera that Tapia is using a local mortuary as a front for his operations. To gain more intel Mike and Marcus pose as pest exterminators responding to a rat infestation of Tapia’s Miami residence. They use the cover to gain access to the mansion and plant bugs throughout the premises. Meanwhile, Tapia has had a meeting with his Russian business associates Alexei and Josef. While he discusses his business with Alexei, Tapia has Josef butchered in his kitchen and places the remains in a tortilla bin as a threat to Alexei to sign over all of his Miami night clubs where he distributes ecstasy. Mike discovers some of Josef’s remains in the kitchen where he was dismembered, smuggling a pinky finger for later identification. With the Russians removed from the equation, Tapia begins a mixed business-personal relationship with Syd wherein he intends for her to launder all of the money for his operation.

Later, Mike and Marcus infiltrate Tapia’s mortuary. Inside they discover that Tapia is using cadavers and coffins to smuggle drugs and money in and out of the country. However, Marcus swallows two ecstasy pills by accident and ends up high in the process. They are almost discovered but two other officers crash into the building, allowing Mike and Marcus to escape. The evidence is sufficient for Captain Howard to authorize a raid on both Tapia’s residence and the mortuary in collaboration with the DEA and the U.S. Coast Guard. Nearly all of Tapia’s drug supply and money are confiscated in the raid, though Tapia flees to Cuba with Syd as a hostage before he can be apprehended. Using her as a bargaining chip, Tapia demands the return of his money from Miami PD. Knowing that’s impossible, Mike and Marcus arrange a covert operation to rescue Syd, forming an unofficial task force with agents from the DEA, TNT, and Captain Howard’s contacts from the CIA.

The team is inserted by the Coast Guard a few miles off the coast of Cuba, where they rendezvous with a fellow officer’s brother, Tito, who is head of the local Alpha 66 underground resistance in Cuba. There, Tito assists the teams with weapons, a tunnel network, and an accurate mapping of Tapia’s new mansion.

The team infiltrates Tapia’s mansion, rescues Syd, and leaves a large explosive device that demolishes the mansion upon the team’s exfiltration. Marcus and Mike, along with Syd and Tito steal a yellow Hummer H2 as they escape from Cuban military forces. Tapia survives, and pursues Mike, Marcus, Syd and Tito through the countryside and the village of hillside shacks where cocaine is processed, ultimately ending up outside of Guantanamo Bay. Not recognized as U.S. Citizens, the Navy personnel on the base shoot at both Mike and Marcus as well as Tapia’s vehicles, prompting them to stop just as they enter in a live minefield. With only a couple of rounds remaining in their weapons, Marcus manages to shoot Tapia in the head while the latter holds Mike at gunpoint. Tapia falls backward onto a mine which obliterates his corpse.

Later, Mike, Marcus, and Syd celebrate at a barbecue in Marcus’ backyard with his family; Marcus has decided to remain partners with Mike.

## Cast

* Martin Lawrence as Detective Lieutenant Marcus Miles Burnett, Miami Police Department detective and Mike's partner and best friend
* Will Smith as Detective Lieutenant Michael Eugene 'Mike' Lowrey, Miami Police Department detective and Marcus' partner and best friend
* Jordi Mollà as Hector Juan Carlos 'Johnny' Tapia, a Cuban drug kingpin
* Gabrielle Union as DEA Special Agent Sydney 'Syd' Burnett
* Peter Stormare as Alexei
* Theresa Randle as Theresa Burnett, Marcus' wife
* Joe Pantoliano as Captain Conrad Howard
* Otto Sanchez as Carlos
* Jon Seda as Roberto
* Oleg Taktarov as Josef Kuninskavich
* Michael Shannon as Floyd Poteet
* Jason Manuel Olazabal as Detective Marco Vargas
* Yul Vazquez as Detective Mateo Reyes
* Treva Etienne as 'Icepick'
* Kiko Ellsworth as 'Blondie Dread'
* Timothy Adams as DEA van agent
* Henry Rollins as TNT leader
* Ivelin Giro as Mike's police psychologist
* Dennis Greene as Reggie McDonald
* John Salley as Fletcher
* Dan Marino as Himself
* Megan Fox as Dancer (uncredited)