The Bad Guys (2022)
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A criminal group of anthropomorphic animals attempts to reform their ways after being caught, but their leader finds himself genuinely drawn to changing for good.
The story
In Los Angeles, where humans and anthropomorphic animals co-exist, master pickpocketer Mr. Wolf leads the Bad Guys, an infamous gang of criminals including a safecracker, a hacker, a master of disguise, and a loose cannon. After a high-profile robbery leads to public scrutiny, the gang is offered a chance to reform under the guidance of a wealthy philanthropist. However, as Mr. Wolf begins to experience a genuine internal shift toward doing good, the group must navigate the complexities of their public image and the fact that their leader's conscience is starting to conflict with their criminal lifestyle.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Los Angeles, a city where humans and animals coexist, Mr. Wolf leads a notorious gang of criminals: Mr. Snake, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Shark, and Mr. Piranha. After a public reprimand from the Governor, the gang attempts to steal the Golden Dolphin award. During the heist, Wolf's conscience is stirred by a kind act, leading to their arrest. To avoid prison, they agree to a reform program led by the wealthy Professor Marmalade. While the others remain skeptical, Wolf begins to genuinely enjoy doing good deeds, which is captured on video and improves their public image. During a second heist for the Golden Dolphin, Wolf chooses to reform, but the group is blamed for the theft of a mysterious meteorite. They are imprisoned, where Wolf and Snake clash over the possibility of a better life. They are eventually rescued by the Governor, who is revealed to be the former criminal mastermind 'Crimson Paw.' They team up to stop Marmalade from using the meteorite as a power source. In a final confrontation, the gang discovers Marmalade's true villainy. Snake reveals he swapped the meteorite with a fake, causing Marmalade's machine to fail and exposing him as the thief. The gang willingly turns themselves in, with Wolf proving there was good in his friends.
- First release year
- 2022
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Pierre Perifel
- Writers
- Etan Cohen · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Sam Rockwell · Mr. Wolf; Marc Maron · Mr. Snake; Awkwafina · Ms. Tarantula; Craig Robinson · Mr. Shark; Anthony Ramos · Mr. Piranha; Richard Ayoade · Professor Rupert Marmalade IV; Zazie Beetz · Diane Foxington (The Crimson Paw); Alex Borstein · Misty Luggins; Lilly Singh · Tiffany Fluffit
- Genres
- animated; neo-noir; crime; comedy
- Themes
- redemption; friendship; identity
- Tone and mood
- humorous; action-packed; noir
- Premise and plot tags
- heist; anthropomorphic; reformation
- Source material / true-story basis
- children's book series by Aaron Blabey
- Franchise connections
- The Bad Guys
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $251 million.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 26; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 4 · scale: 5
- Awards and nominations
- Truly Moving Picture Award · Heartland Film Festival · 2022 · win; Best Animated Film · Hollywood Critics Association · 2022 · nomination; Best Animated Film · Satellite Awards · 2022 · nomination; Outstanding Voice Performance · Black Reel Awards · 2023 · nomination; Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature · Visual Effects Society Awards · 21st · nomination; Favorite Animated Movie · Kids' Choice Award · 2023 · nomination; Favorite Female Voice From an Animated Movie · Kids' Choice Awards · 2023 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's animation style was inspired by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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