DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys franchise is based on the popular series of graphic novels by Aaron Blabey. In the first film, we met Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) a skilled pickpocket and leader of a team of criminals known as The Bad Guys. The group also includes safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), tech expert/hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), master of disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), and muscle Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos). During one of the team’s heists, Mr. Wolf got a taste of what it was like to actually do good, and he it made his tail wag. He had a sudden change of heart and conscience, and decided that The Bad Guys would suddenly go good. They managed to take down the evil Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), a guinea pig philanthropist who was really an evil scientist. Mr. Wolf also discovered that his red fox love interest, Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), was actually The Crimson Paw—a master thief who had never been caught—which made him like her even more. Like Mr. Wolf, Diane had decided to go legit, working for the good of the state. In the end, The Bad Guys turned themselves into the cops and prepared to do their time.

The Bad Guys 2 picks up some time after the events of the first film. Mr. Wolf and his team have served their time, and now have a clean slate. However, they’re having trouble finding legitimate new jobs. Apparently not everyone seems to trust that these former criminals have really tuned their lives around. The Bad Guys are finding it difficult to make a fresh start when they get the blame for everything bad that happens in town. There’s a new thief at work, The Phantom Bandit, who has been robbing MacGuffinite all over town. And of course former police chief, now police commissioner, Luggins (Alex Borstein) is quick to suspect Mr. Wolf and his crew. Meanwhile, Mr. Snake has a new girlfriend, a raven named Susan (Natasha Lyonne), and is acting all strange and lovesick. But it turns out “Susan” is just an alias, and her real identity is that of Doom, a member of a trio of Bad Girls looking to make a big score. The mastermind/leader of these Bad Girls is snow leopard Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), who’s smart, intelligent and a worth adversary to Mr. Wolf. The third member of their team is wild boar/hacker Pigtail Petrova (Maria Bakalova), who’s a but of a Bad Guys superfan. The Bad Girls want Mr. Wolf and his crew to help them steal an experimental MoonX rocket, and blackmail Mr. Wolf into assisting, threatening to both release video revealing Dianne’s true identity as The Crimson Paw, as well as evidence that would link the Bad Guys to The Phantom Bandit’s activities and get them locked up again. With Commissioner Luggins on their tails, can Mr. Wolf and his team find a way to outsmart these Bad Girls, protect Diane, and maintain their freedom?

The Bad Guys 2 takes everything that was great about the first film, and amps it us, with even more action, bigger and more elaborate heists, fun new characters, and lots of humor. The film’s cold open takes viewers back 5 years to Cairo, Egypt, for the team’s first heist with their newest team member, a braces-wearing Tarantula. This really sets the tone for the film. Even though these Bad Guys have gone good, we will still see them putting their skills to work. There are several elaborate heists in this second film, and it’s always fun to see how they play out. Even if you think you have things figured out, there’s always an unexpected twist in the reveal. The world of the film also gets expanded, from international missions to taking our team into space! But even while this is going on, the bumbling but lovable police commissioner Luggins is determined to crack the case. The chemistry between the characters is just as hilarious and heartwarming as ever, plus we get some entertaining new characters with The Bad Girls. They may only be a trio, but these girls can hold they own against the Bad Guys. Though, Snake is so smitten, he has blinders when it comes to Doom (AKA Susan). The character of Diane Foxington takes a bit of a back seat this time around, but still has some fun moments with Mr. Wolf. The two are very much in love with one another, but must keep their relationship a secret. It wouldn’t be good optics if the governor was dating an ex-con she helped put away!

Universal has released The Bad Guys 2 on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital. We were sent the 4K UHD release for review. The presentation looks and sounds phenomenal. With a nearly flawless picture that captures so much detail and showcases the film’s unique animation style, which is like 2D meets 3D with a bit of a paintbrush flourish. The colors are rich and beautiful, and the picture captures every detail of the fast-moving action. The audio track is also extremely impressive, making excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to give a fully-immersive experience, putting the viewer right in the middle of the comedic chaos and action. The dialogue is clear throughout, and the film’s score and soundtrack sounds excellent.

The 4K and Blu-ray discs reside on either side of a standard 4K keepcase, placed inside of a glossy, embossed cardboard slipcover. The release also includes a code for a 4K Movies Anywhere compatible digital copy of the film. Both discs offer the same selection of bonus material, which consists of a filmmaker commentary track, a new Bad Guys short, and over an hour of other bonus material, including 2 deleted scenes, a drawing lesson, and several behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew.

I enjoyed The Bad Guys 2 even more than the original movie. It took everything that made the first film great and expanded upon it. The only disappointment I had with this release, was not getting a 3D option to watch at home. I first saw this in the theater in 3D and I loved the 3D experience. Universal used to offer its DreamWorks titles in 3D streaming via Fandango at Home, but it appears that they have stopped this. Hopefully some day German manufacturer Turbine will offer a 3D disc of this sequel like they did with the first The Bad Guys movie.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:43:06)

4K Ultra HD:
• 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Dolby Vision / HDR 10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 1/31/2027):

• 4K digital copy redeemable via Movies Anywhere

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

• Little Lies and Alibis (5:42)
  In this new animated short, Mr. Wolf and his associates arrive 10 minutes late to a meeting with their parole officer, and then proceed to recount what happened during their particularly chaotic day that caused them to be late, only to discover they’re not in the right place.
• Deleted Scenes with Introductions by Director Pierre Perifel and Co-Director JP Sans (5:56)
  Director Pierre Perifel and Co-Director JP Sans provide context for two deleted sequences, and explain why each was ultimately cut. Play All, or select from:
  • Lowrider Chase (2:18)
    In this scene that reached the layout stage, the luchadores chase The Bad Guys’ hot dog truck in their colorful lowriders.
  • Crime Sisters (3:34)
    Presented mostly in storyboard format, this flashback shows how Diane Foxington (aka The Crimson Paw) and Kitty (aka The Golden Claw) originally almost came together as partners.
• Bad Guys: Out of Line (2:06)
  Head into the recording booth as the cast record their lines and crack themselves up. Includes behind-the-scenes footage of stars Awkwafina (“Tarantula”), Sam Rockwell (“Wolf”), Marc Maron (“Snake”), Craig Robinson (“Shark”), Lilly Singh (“Tiffany Fluffit”), Richard Ayoade (“Professor Marmalade”), Alex Borstein (“Commissioner Luggins”), Danielle Brooks (“Kitty Kat”). Maria Bakalova (“Pigtail Petrova”), Anthony Ramos (“Piranha”), Natasha Lyonne (“Doom (AKA Susan)”) & Zazie Beetz (“Diane Foxington”).
  
• Double Jeopardy: The Making of The Bad Guys 2 (4:46)
  The cast and crew talk about what makes The Bad Guys 2 bigger and badder than the first film. Includes interviews with director Pierre Perifel, co-director JP Sans, producer Damon Ross, visual effects supervisor Matt Baer, editor Jesse Averna, head of story Katherine De Vries, head of character animation Chris Gonzo Gonzalez, and stars Zazie Beetz, Maria Bakalova, Anthony Ramos, Marc Maron, Sam Rockwell, Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Brooks & Awkwafina.
• Meet the Gang (7:37)
  The cast and crew talk about the characters and the actors behind the voices, improvising lines, and more. Includes recording studio footage, and interviews with producer Damon Ross, director Pierre Perifel, head of character animation Chris Gonzo Gonzalez, head of story Katherine De Vries, editor Jesse Averna, and stars Sam Rockwell, Anthony Ramos, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova & Craig Robinson.
  
  
• Double Trouble: The Animals Behind The Bad Guys 2 (9:02)
  Animal trainer Molly O’Neill introduces the actresses to the real-life animal counterparts of their characters. First up are Bad Girls Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Brooks & Maria Bakalova, then it’s Awkwafina & Zazie Beetz’s turn.
  
  
• Causing a Scene (5:16)
  The cast and crew discuss the various stages and departments the film goes through, going into space, and more. Includes interviews with director Pierre Perifel, producer Damon Ross, editor Jesse Averna, head of story Katherine De Vries, co-director JP Sans, head of lighting & compositing Joanna Wu, visual effects supervisor Matt Baer, head of character animation Chris Gonzo Gonzalez, and stars Awkwafina, Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron & Anthony Ramos.
  
• Planning the HeistThe Bad Guys 2 (10:08)
  Director Pierre Perifel and Co-Director JP Sans recreate their thought process, breaking down the film’s early Lucha Heist sequence, using props and drawing on a large paper pad. Also includes concept and storyboard artwork.
• Sketching the Bad Girls (10:49)
  Learn how to draw the Bad Girls characters. Director Pierre Perifel draws the female felons, while an “eyewitness” to their crime spree (co-director JP Sans) describes each of the characters to a “cop” (producer Damon Ross). Play All, or select from:
  • Kitty (3:32)
  • Doom (3:49)
  • Pigtail (3:26)
• Feature Commentary with Director Pierre Perifel, Co-Director JP Sans, Head of Character Animation Benjamin Willis, Head of Story Katherine de Vries, and Head of Cinematography, Layout Théophile Bondoux (1:43:06)
  Director Pierre Perifel, co-director JP Sans, head of story Katherine de Vries, head of character animation Benjamin Willis, and head of cinematography, layout Théophile Bondoux sit down together to provide a fun, entertaining and informative discussion of the film. They talk about the evolution of the movie, mention some of the changes that were made over time, point out some of the Easter eggs and improvised lines, share behind-the-scenes stories, and more.

Final Thoughts:

The Bad Guys 2 is one of those rare things where the sequel is eve better than the first movie. The first film set up these fun characters and dynamics, while this second film expands the world, amps up the action and humor, and just makes everything bigger and more over the top (but in a good way). Fans of the franchise will most certainly enjoy this follow-up, and be pleased with this release, while general animation fans who haven’t seen the original The Bad Guys can still fully enjoy this second film on its own. Universal’s 4K disc looks and sounds great, and contains lots of entertaining and informative bonus material. My only negative is that there was no 3D Blu-ray or digital option for those of us who still have the ability to view that at home.