Lack of Marketing = Lack of LOVE (The Bad Guys)

 

From Dreamworks Animation, The Bad Guys make their big-screen debut as the studio's first enjoyable feature in a very long time. Based on the Scholastic children's books, the film has an A-list cast and a pretty fun storyline that will entertain as long as the film humors for long. 

Set in a world where humans and anthropomorphic animals co-exist and center around The Bad Guys, a team of criminal animals consisting of Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Ms. Tarantula, and Mir Pirahna. Attempting to pull off the biggest heist of their career, The Bad Guys are caught for the very first time. However, as a ploy to avoid being behind the bars, Mr. Wolf makes a double-crossed deal with Professor Marmalade, a rich and charitable  Guinea Pig to try to be good.

Like every heist feature, this animated feature includes well-rounded talent and the perfect amount of twists to keep audiences interested. I know I have been paying this a lot lately with recent animated Disney releases but I can proudly say that The Bad Guys will be a triumph for Dreamworks by entertaining both adults and kids alike. It may gain some recognition in other countries since it's going to be playing around international markets before premiering in the US, but there is a major possibility the feature will be lukewarmly received, amongst many of Dreamworks more underrated gems. 

The one problem I have with this feature is a lack of marketing. I have been interested in watching Bad Guys since the release of the trailer but nobody else seems to be interested. It's hard to interest audiences today to watch an animated movie, leaving behind the perception that they are meant to be watched by children when in fact, it's the total opposite. Yes, the medium is meant to tell stories that almost seem like picture books brought to life, but lately, it has become pretty obvious that animation really sells when it's meaningful and impactful for everyone. 

Apart from that, The Bad Guys revisit themes of how evil, or in this case, 'Bad' isn't born. It reminds moviegoers they have a soft spot for whatever type an antagonist a story introduces, especially when stories like this exist, always seem to be received well. Perfect examples of this would be films like Disney's Maleficent or Sony's Venom. 

It's hard to say much about the plot for it to be considered spoilers as the animation blurs the lines between 3D and 2D portraying familiar yet eye-popping visuals, and character movements, once again showing how much animation has evolved over the years. To be honest, there were times where this 1 hour 40 minute did get a tad draggy for about 5 minutes where you are tricked by its predictability, The Bad Guys should be watched, in the theaters or at home once digital copies are available.