The Bad Guys (2022)
To avoid prison, a gang of notorious animal criminals pretends to seek being rehabilitated, only for their leader to realize that he genuinely wants to change his ways.
After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet: becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good. But could any of them be considering turning good for real?
Basking in the glory of their success, Mr Wolf's notorious Bad Guys are unequaled in thievery. However, all good things must come to an end, and for the first time in a long while, someone manages to outsmart the city's most-wanted villains during an audacious heist. Now, as charm alone isn't going to cut it, the humiliated crime squad must do the unthinkable: rehabilitate for freedom's sake and give goodness a second chance. What will it take the unrepentant Bad Guys to become law-abiding citizens?
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Nick Riganas
In Los Angeles, California, in a world of humans and anthropomorphic animals co-existing, The Bad Guys, a gang of notorious, criminal animals led by the cool-headed Mr. Wolf and known for their brazen thefts while eluding the authorities, attempt to steal the Golden Dolphin award from guinea pig philanthropist Professor Rupert Marmalade IV after being insulted by Governor Diane Foxington on-air. During the heist, Wolf inadvertently helps an old woman he intended to pickpocket and is praised for the good deed, leading to Wolf finding himself affected by his wrongdoings and Marmalade's speech about goodness. After the gang are exposed and arrested, Wolf then persuades Marmalade to instead attempt to reform them, planning to take advantage of the pretense to try to steal his award again. Marmalade invites the Bad Guys to his home, but his lessons prove a frustrating struggle with them seemingly unable to adapt to the concept of good behavior.
Eventually, Marmalade's idea of having them go on a rescue mission, "a heist for good," to save laboratory guinea pigs proves a fiasco from second-in-command Mr. Snake's temptation with eating guinea pigs. Foxington decides to call off the experiment, but relents when Wolf confesses that he despairs being hated for his species. Foxington admits that she understands and confesses that she has hope for him. Wolf contemplates the matter and finds himself rescuing a cat from a tree, which Marmalade records and releases as a viral video. The resulting publicity turns the public image of the Bad Guys around, as the cynical Snake suspects he is losing touch with his friend.
When the Bad Guys execute a new heist at the grand gala, planned in celebration, Wolf cannot bring himself to finish the plan and betray the newfound trust he earned. However, a rare heart-shaped meteor is stolen framing the Bad Guys for its theft. When the gang is arrested once again, Marmalade meets them in private and tauntingly reveals that he stole the meteorite, and was disguised as the old lady Wolf saved earlier, to manipulate the gang into taking the blame. As the embittered Bad Guys are taken to the SUCM prison, Wolf explains to his gang that he doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, but a notorious rival criminal, The Crimson Paw, rescues them, revealing herself to be Foxington, a reformed criminal herself.
Upon reaching safety, the Bad Guys bitterly abandon Wolf for betraying them, but are aghast when they return to their hideout and find it completely emptied of their loot, as Wolf revealed its location to Foxington as compensation for his crimes. The Bad Guys are despondent enough for Snake to give his last possession to the childish Mr. Shark, making the rest of the Bad Guys realize that they can change their ways and help Wolf, but Snake denies that it represented any change of heart before abandoning them himself. Meanwhile, Wolf and Foxington break into Marmalade's home to steal the meteorite, only to be captured by Marmalade, who reveals that Snake has allied with him and brags how he intends to use the meteor's power to control an army of guinea pigs to rob the city. However, the two are rescued by the remainder of the Bad Guys and take the meteorite in an attempt to stop Marmalade's plan.
In the resulting battle, the Bad Guys managed to stop the robberies but they decide to get Snake back despite his betrayal. During the attempt, Marmalade turns on Snake and the Bad Guys risk their lives to save him, bargaining with Marmalade for his safety. After rescuing Snake, the Bad Guys foil Marmalade's plan and surrenders themselves to the authorities. Marmalade attempts to take credit for recovering the meteorite, but the meteor is revealed to be a disguised lamp planted by a secretly-redeemed Snake, who pulls off the masterstroke of his undercover plan to help Wolf by destroying the actual meteorite, outsmarting a shocked Marmalade. Marmalade is also framed as the Crimson Paw, completely destroying his reputation, and leading him to be arrested for his crimes.
A year later, the Bad Guys are released from prison in light of their good behavior, partnering up with Foxington as they begin their new crime-fighting careers.
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