Everyone in Hollywood has tendencies, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer is no different. Having been the driving force behind films like Beverly Hills Cop, Bad Boys, and Enemy of the State, a movie like Bad Company almost wouldn’t be the same without him. It’s an action-comedy very similar to those others he’s been involved in and even to some he didn’t have anything to do with (like Rush Hour and 48 Hours). Considering that, it would seem as though Bad Company has doomed itself to being another unpleasant vehicle for an overly-recycled formula. Thankfully, with strong lead performances and plenty of its own action mixed with the usual Hollywood hijinks, this film succeeds at what it tries to be -- two hours of solid entertainment.

      Also fortunate for Bad Company is the fact that director Joel Schumacher (notorious for trash like Batman & Robin and 8MM) was fairly invisible behind the camera. None of his excessively flamboyant visions or badly misguided storytelling or any other trademarks of his work are evident. For the most part it’s as though Bruckheimer himself had taken over the director’s chair -- but whatever the case, it worked.

      The very Bruckheimer-esque story begins in Prague, where an illegal arms trade goes wrong and CIA operative Kevin Pope (Chris Rock) is killed. Fellow officer Gaylord Oakes (Anthony Hopkins) finds himself in deep trouble, as he needed Pope, and only Pope, to finish the job in order to prevent a radical European weapons dealer from outbidding him and acquiring very dangerous materials. Oakes turns to Pope’s twin brother, Jake Hayes -- a small-time ticket scalper and chess hustler -- and soon Hayes is in training to look and act just like his brother, so that he might stand in for Kevin and complete the mission, essentially saving the world.

      It’s clear that there is little complexity (or believability) to the plot, but when done correctly, those kinds of movies (see also: Speed, Die Hard) actually turn out to be some of the most fun. Of course, you need memorable performances, fresh dialogue, and inventive action sequences to be successful, but Bad Company has few problems meeting those criteria.

      What helps the film most are its headlining stars. Chris Rock made his first run at action-comedy with 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4, and that small but effective role is fully expanded here as a similar character with street smarts, little respect for authority, and an amusing helplessness when the bullets start flying. Rock’s comic intelligence makes for many great one-liners and some interesting confrontations with the very unfriendly foreign villains. The comedian-turned-actor goes over the top at times, but largely he knows how to handle himself.

      Anthony Hopkins, though confined to a part that may be the foremost item on a list of things contrived for the sake of having two hours of action-comedy known as Bad Company, still provides his unique brand of ice-cool wit. The seasoned performer must lower himself to appear in this action flick, and there are moments where it feels like someone in the class of Bruce Willis or Nicolas Cage would be more appropriate for the role. But there’s no denying that it’s refreshing to see Sir Tony step into a popcorn bucket movie like this and still manage to completely control every scene he’s in.

      That being said, though, it’s hard to argue that Bad Company isn’t a guilty pleasure. It’s obvious the film was edited to allow for a PG-13 rating, but there are plenty of other things Jerry Bruckheimer and Joel Schumacher did right to make it worthwhile. Crisp photography, a stylish action score by Trevor Rabin, and a fantastic car chase scene in the climax are just a few more things to write home about.

      You might be able to count the numerous action movie clichés or point out the obviously contrived plot devices, but who ever said it was impossible to have those things and a good movie at the same time?

Andy Zientek, 2002