Will Smith has starred in a trilogy of blockbuster Bad Boys movies and Men in Black movies, but only one can reign supreme as the best franchise. After establishing himself as an actor by starring on the beloved sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for six seasons, Smith made his grand entrance into the big screen game with three smash-hit movies in consecutive years. Bad Boys, the directorial debut of Michael Bay, arrived in 1995 and teamed Smith with Martin Lawrence. Independence Day sent Smith and Jeff Goldblum skyward in 1996. To round things off, Smith tangled with aliens again alongside Tommy Lee Jones in 1997's Men in Black.
While Bad Boys wasn't a critical darling, the other two received positive reviews, and more importantly in the eyes of Hollywood, all three raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. Smith was launched straight into the A-list, and still resides their today, even after experiencing his fair share of box office flops in the decades since. Of course, it helps that Smith retains the same likability and charisma now as he did in the 1990s.
One thing that separates Smith's big three is that he went on to star in multiple sequels to Bad Boys and Men in Black, while declining to return for Independence Day: Resurgence. This positions Bad Boys and Men in Black as the contenders for the title of greatest Will Smith movie franchise. It's Miami cops vs. galaxy defenders in the fight of the century — or at least, of Will Smith's career.
Despite his undeniably successful career in movies and on TV, Will Smith has been criticized over the years for playing roles that essentially amount to exaggerated versions of himself. At this point, Smith should be well beyond that criticism, having played many varied roles, some that have earned high levels of critical acclaim. In the case of Bad Boys' Mike Lowrey and Men in Black's Agent J though, both are definitely characters which remind one of Smith's real personality, but with the volume turned up. Neither role really calls for Smith to deliver Oscar-caliber performances, but at the same time, his screen presence and aforementioned charisma are a huge reason either franchise took off, maybe even the biggest reason.
If not for Bad Boys and Men in Black casting Smith as their respective leads, it's quite possible that neither property would have managed to soar as high. Character-wise though, Lowrey is probably better for Smith, but only slightly. Whereas Agent J is often, especially in the original movie, left in the position of "man out of his element," Lowrey projects an unshakable confidence, at least most of the time. Lowrey experiences more character development too, partially since he was kind of a jerk to begin with, albeit a likable one. Bad Boys for Life allowed an older Lowrey to finally come to terms with his own mortality, and grow up a bit. J is also a great character, but while plenty of things happen to him over the course of the franchise, his progression doesn't offer Smith as much opportunity to stretch.
The question of whether the Bad Boys or Men in Black franchise is more consistent is actually a bit more close than one might think. Men in Black tends to sport a much better overall reputation as a series than Bad Boys, perhaps deservedly so, but the gulf in quality between the two really isn't that wide. Sure, Bad Boys wasn't a favorite of critics, but critics aren't always right. Most Will Smith fans see Bad Boys as a seminal entry in his career as a leading man, and find it to be a fun, thrilling good time. Smith and Lawrence's chemistry is also terrific. The first Men in Black is the better film of the two by a good margin, but both are worthwhile viewing.
As for the sequels, that's where things get a bit more complex. While critics hated it, opinion on Bad Boys 2 is generally divided among fans, with some seeing it as another explosion-filled example of Smith and Bay at their best, while others think it's overly long, self-indulgent, and not nearly as well-written. However, a majority of fans seem to see Men in Black 2 as the clear low-point of its franchise, giving Bad Boys 2 the edge. Bad Boys for Life and Men in Black 3 actually provides the most even match, as both got great reviews from critics, and both were welcomed with open arms by fans. Thanks to just how good the first Men in Black is, the MIB wins this battle, but Bad Boys put in a respectable fight.
While box office performance certainly doesn't mean a movie is actually good, Smith's star-power has often been measured by his ability to get audiences inside their local theaters. The Men in Black and Bad Boys franchises are great examples of the former Fresh Prince's drawing power, but when held up side by side, it's a surprisingly dominant victory for Men in Black. The first MIB movie earned $587 million to Bad Boys' $141 million, while MIB 2 brought in $441 million to Bad Boys 2's $273 million, and MIB 3's haul was $654 million versus Bad Boys for Life's $424 million. The franchise total for Men in Black comes out to $1.9 billion, with Bad Boys earning $839 million.
While Men in Black took two of the above categories and Bad Boys took only one, this is still a surprisingly tough call to make. Both are series with two good to great movies — and one middling second entry — and both mostly rise and fall on Will Smith's personal appeal as an actor. While Mike Lowrey might be the more developed role for Smith to play, one main factor puts the Men in Black franchise over the top in this battle of the titans. The first Men in Black is a certified classic, and some even hold it up as one of the best blockbusters of the 1990s, or perhaps even of all time. Bad Boys, as many fans as it has, and as enjoyable as it is, just can't compete with that. Still, there's no reason diehard Smith fans can't continue to watch and love both.
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