The Bad Guys centers on an infamous band of anthropomorphic animal criminals. They have a smooth-talking commander in Mr. Wolf (Rockwell), a gruff best friend in Mr. Snake (Maron), a great hacker in Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), a master of disguise in Mr. Shark (Robinson), and a loose cannon who enjoys a good fight in Mr. Piranha (Ramos).
Despite the tenacious efforts of the hysterical Police Chief Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein), they have managed to evade capture. But Wolf plans to pull out a theft that would boost their reputation and solidify their legacy when the newly elected Governor Foxington (Beetz) disparages them in a speech that is broadcast on television.
The Golden Dolphin trophy is to be given to Professor Rupert Marmalade IV (Richard Ayoade), a well-liked guinea pig philanthropist, during a gala, thus their duty is to steal it. But when Wolf unexpectedly experiences the sweetness of goodness, their scheme runs into trouble. The situation deteriorates, the group loses the Dolphin, and a troubled Wolf starts to question their reputation as the bad guys.
As far as storylines go, this one has its moments, largely because of the compelling characters and excellent voice acting. It's not as humorous as I had thought and isn't really inventive. But our reluctant heroes have a nice rapport with one another, which makes them enjoyable to be around. Additionally, the animation is generally pretty good and inspired.
Unfortunately, the film is hampered by some of the same worn-out jokes that appear in so many contemporary animated movies. For instance, Perifel and Cohen not only include butt and fart jokes but also refer to them repeatedly. During the tumultuous and uninhibited finale, I noticed that I was starting to lose interest a little. However, even with these flaws, "The Bad Guys" still has a lot to recommend it, especially if you already enjoy the premise that many of these Hollywood animated movies use.
