DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2 is a vibrant, zippy, and fun sequel that builds on the original’s success with even more wit, style, and character growth. Directed once again by Pierre Perifel, this second installment in the franchise manages to maintain the fun, Tarantino-for-kids aesthetic of its predecessor while adding some real emotional weight and moral complexity. It doesn’t completely avoid the common sequel trap of going bigger without always going deeper, but it lands far more hits than misses, offering one of the most satisfying animated films of 2025 so far.

Picking up a year after the events of the first film, The Bad Guys 2 finds our beloved reformed criminals—Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Ms. Tarantula aka "Webs", Mr. Shark, and Mr. Piranha—trying to live straight-arrow lives as law-abiding citizens. But being “good” is a lot harder than it looks, especially when a mysterious new villain known only as The Phantom Bandit (and her gang) emerges, roping them back in for one last heist. This internal conflict—between who you are and who you want to be—becomes the emotional engine of the movie.

And nowhere is it more palpable than in the increasingly strained Mr. Wolf. Like the rest of the gang, he’s trying to live an everyday life and get a regular job, but keeps failing to find one due to his controversial past. The group is once again the MVPs in the voice cast, delivering performances that are both sharp and emotionally grounded while also bringing that family-friendly entertainment. Their chemistry is magnetic, and the film smartly allows their arc to carry the core of the narrative.

What sets The Bad Guys 2 apart from other animated sequels is that it avoids falling victim to being just another animated sequel. It could’ve leaned into entertaining its target audience over everything else. Instead, it acknowledges that growth is messy. The screenplay adds layers of tension and moral ambiguity that feel earned rather than tacked on.

Of course, this is still a caper-comedy at heart, and it delivers on that front with panache. The action scenes are gorgeously animated, with slick chases, daring heists, and clever twists that feel straight out of a spy movie. The art direction remains heavily influenced by graphic novels and retro-noir design, with neon cityscapes, bold linework, and split-screen moments that give the film a distinct visual flair. Once again, the consistent animation feels like Zootopia with a splash of the Spider-Verse movies thrown in for flavor.

New additions to the voice cast also elevate the sequel. Danielle Brooks lends a chilling menace to Kitty Kat, who becomes a one-note antagonist, covering as the Phantom Bandit with a twisted philosophy. She’s not just a mustache-twirling villain—she’s the kind of character who makes the heroes (Wolf, especially) question themselves, which makes her confrontations with him far more compelling. Meanwhile, Natasha Lyonne joins the cast as Susan, one of Kitty Kat’s henchmen and Snake’s double-crossing love interest.

That said, not every element lands perfectly. The third act, while visually thrilling, dips into familiar “save the world” territory, complete with a high-stakes chase, last-minute reversals, and too tidy emotional resolutions. While the movie falters in this regard, it has fitting stakes for a sequel. It made me reminiscent of last month’s Superman in that Lex Luthor seemed too powerful and raw for a first outing. If it had been a sequel, then his match with Superman would’ve worked fine. Here in The Bad Guys 2, Kitty Kat’s motivations and prowess as a villain are similar to Luthor’s, only she raises the cost appropriately should she prevail.

Still, those quibbles don’t overshadow what The Bad Guys 2 accomplishes. It’s a sequel that justifies its existence not by going louder, but by going deeper. It understands that the most interesting thing about reformed villains isn’t watching them commit crimes—it’s stopping them. The film safely plays to its kid-friendly audiences, never losing its sense of fun along the way. It’s a sequel that may not intend to amuse older audiences, despite its grounded intentions, but it gets the job done and makes this new DreamWorks series two for two.

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