The Bad Guys 2 delivers fast-paced action, high-concept heists, and plenty of laughs as the lovable criminal crew returns. Things are different this time as they find themselves teaming up with an all-female trio of criminals while struggling to prove they’ve truly turned over a new leaf.

When Pierre Perifel’s The Bad Guys first hit theaters, it took everyone by surprise. It was a cool, slick, and unapologetically stylish animated film about a quintet of criminal predators trying to go straight, only to find out they were actually good guys all along. The Bad Guys 2 sees them trying to reform in a world that remains skeptical of their intentions.

While the first Bad Guys saw Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) pulling the con of being good in order to avoid jail time, the story cleverly explored what it means to change for the better. The sequel sees the crew trying to enter civil society by getting honest jobs. It’s not an easy thing to do, considering their reputation. When a mysterious masked thief known as the Phantom Bandit starts a new crime spree, all eyes turn to the Bad Guys as the prime suspects.

The Bad Guys learn the crime spree is part of an elaborate plan to get them to join The Bad Girls, who want to pull a heist of their own by stealing a space shuttle and a rare metal with magnetic properties enabling it to attract gold. The trio is led by Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), a snow leopard with metal foundry skills; Doom (Natasha Lyonne), a raven who is a master manipulator; and Pigtails (Maria Bakalova), a wild boar who is a huge crime nerd and fan of the Bad Guys.

Though the heists are more elaborate and the action bigger, Perifel grounds The Bad Guys 2 in the ongoing theme of redemption. Going straight isn’t easy when society refuses to forget your past. Mr. Wolf tries to land a job at a bank he robbed. Mr. Piranha’s nerves get the best of him in a job interview, resulting in one too many farts. Ms. Tarantula finds herself hilariously overqualified for a retail tech gig. These setbacks make it easy to root for the gang, especially as they keep trying in a world that won’t give them a chance.

These moments of vulnerability remind us why the Bad Guys were so endearing to begin with. Unfortunately, the sequel doesn’t always give those emotional beats the space they deserve. The film has to work hard at charting the Bad Guys’ redemption arc, while also giving screentime to The Bad Girls.

Kitty Kat, the group leader, is a more fleshed-out character than her fellow crew members. Doom and Pigtails, while entertaining, mostly serve as archetypes. It’s clear that there is a larger yet under-explored story behind how Kitty Kat assembled the crew. We do get to see how Kitty Kat is the antithesis of Mr. Wolf. She believes society will see criminals for what they are and not what they can be. In contrast, Mr. Wolf believes in hope and change for the better, so that society can accept individuals for who they are.

From the comic book-inspired lucha libre match to the Mission: Impossible-inspired space shuttle break-in, a lot of what you’ll see feels like an illustration come to life. Action set pieces are smoother and more elaborate this time around, especially the car heist intro and a third act zero-gravity heist sequence.

Alongside the emotional tension between Mr. Wolf and Kitty Kat, there’s a simmering romantic tension between Mr. Wolf and Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), the red fox who once shared his criminal past. Their dynamic worked well in the first film, but here it feels a bit like emotional autopilot. The moments between them aren’t necessarily out of place, they’re just predictable, tracing familiar beats without much surprise. And Diane has plenty to do in this film, especially when she has to get into a tense interrogation scene with Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade).

The “redemption isn’t linear” narrative is clear, and it’s what keeps The Bad Guys 2 from spinning completely off the rails. Even as the sequel escalates the action and broadens the ensemble, it never fully loses sight of the emotional core that made the original film so resonant. Its story is at its best when Mr. Wolf and the gang give their best effort to become model citizens, even when the odds are against them, and Kitty Kat’s cynicism challenges them at every step. And yet, it still can be as absurd as it wants to be.

While The Bad Guys 2 isn’t aiming to make a statement about identity or representation, it’s worth noting that the film operates within a fairly homogenous framework, even with a cast as eclectic as Ramos, Brooks, Awkwafina, and Bakalova. The diversity in voices adds flavor and energy to the ensemble, but the characters themselves remain mostly removed from any cultural specificity. That’s not a flaw, necessarily, as the story of second chances resonates with all audiences.

The Bad Guys 2 has plenty of heart, humor, and visual flair. Its slick animation and dynamic action sequences keep the energy high, while the witty dialogue and playful character moments provide consistent laughs. Though the emotional stakes don’t always land as deeply as in the original, the film’s charm and vibrant style make it an enjoyable sequel that successfully expands the world of these lovable misfits.

8.5/10

The Bad Guys 2 opens in theaters on August 1, 2025.