Will Smith’s character in the latest installment of the Bad Boys franchise, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” gets a taste of his own medicine as he is repeatedly slapped by Martin Lawrence’s character. This scene appears to be a nod to Smith’s infamous Oscars incident, where he slapped Chris Rock on stage.
The moment in the film occurs during a climactic action scene where Smith’s character is in the midst of a panic attack. Lawrence’s character slaps him multiple times to snap him out of it, with the scene playing for laughs and drawing audible reactions from audiences at advance screenings.
Critics have noted the significance of this scene, with Owen Gleiberman from Variety describing it as a “direct reference” to the Oscars incident. He sees it as a form of “punishment” for Smith, allowing him to move on from the controversy.
Nick Schager from the Daily Beast, however, feels that the joke about the Oscars scandal falls flat and does little to enhance the movie. The New York Post’s critic Johnny Oleksinski appreciates the scene but laments that it is not real.
In real life, Smith has apologized for his behaviour at the Oscars and has faced consequences, including resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The directors of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” have revealed that the script for the film was influenced by the real-life events surrounding Smith’s Oscars slap.
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is set to hit theaters on June 7, offering audiences a mix of action, comedy, and a meta-nod to one of the most talked-about incidents in recent awards show history.
