Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star in a scene from the movie "Bad Boys for Life." The Catholic News Service classification is O -- morally offensive. (CNS/Columbia)

By Catholic News Service

The assassination spree at the heart of this action-comedy sequel reuniting Miami police partners and best friends Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is portrayed so graphically that, together with other gory mayhem and a sometimes-flippant attitude toward faith, it renders this slick third film in the franchise inappropriate for any age group.

The duo finds their relationship strained after Smith’s character is nearly killed by a mother (Kate Del Castillo) and son (Jacob Scipio) team of narcotics runners out for revenge for the long imprisonment from which mom has just escaped. As other officials involved in her case are gunned down, the pair need to decide whether it’s time to retire while they still can or to pursue their own version of justice yet again. There’s little suspense about what course the pals will ultimately choose in directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s gleeful shoot’em-up.

Excessive bloody violence, gruesome sights, an ambiguous treatment of religion, a couple of profanities, numerous milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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