Jerry Bruckheimer may not be regarded as producing some of the most cerebral movies out there, but if there's one thing he knows how to do, it's loud, brash, and if we're being honest, thoroughly entertaining blockbuster flicks. But what isn't so entertaining, is this videogame conversion of Bad Boys II.

Arriving in cinemas at the end of last summer in a hail of bangs, bullets, body counts and the obligatory bad-boy language, the movie was a brain-disengaging, instantly forgettable experience and, unfortunately, exactly the same thing can be said of the Bad Boys II game.

Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett are Miami-based, bickering buddies with bad attitudes and blue mouths. Wading through the cop clichés, you'll discover the duo must track down a drug kingpin who's threatening to take over the city. And obviously, after one of their partners is killed, this time it's personal. Unfortunately, the developer didn't have the rights to recreate the actors' likeness, because not only do the characters' faces look like a vague amalgamation of every black actor out there, but the voiceovers, whilst suitably humorous and crude, sound nothing like their big-screen counterparts, thus diminishing the game's authenticity.

Things kick off, as in most third-person actioners, with the customary shooting range tutorial. Here we get to grips with basic firing techniques, (moving, zooming and locking on). The first warning bells ring when the firing feels awkward and twitchy - even when stationary and untroubled by baddies. The lock-on function is a bit misleading too, as the crosshair must be positioned exactly over a target to work. We're also introduced to the notion of using cover here, where illuminated circles denote areas in which characters can crouch, lurk and hide behind any available structure, then momentarily lean out as the action switches to FPS.

Players assume the dual roles of Lowry and Burnett, and although the characters are pre-determined and you can't intermittently switch between them, your virtual mate will supposedly act as backup on the numerous blasting/running/shooting/repeat stages. We say 'supposedly', because he's about as useful as Dixon of Dock Green, due to very poor AI. He'll hang ten metres behind until the area ahead is cleared, or idly stand around in the middle of a firefight, but also completely block doorways and severely restrict your use of cover spots. The enemy AI isn't much better, as bad guys will frequently ignore our advancing heroes or stand glued to the spot till you dispatch them from kissing distance, though again this is not always possible because of dubious collision issues.

The use of cover is a nice touch, and though regarded as a luxury, is a necessity for survival due to the sheer number of enemies you'll face. However, because of the precise positioning of the glowing circles, freedom to interact with the environment is very restricted, and the result is the very repetitive notion of identical shooting ranges, all with minimally varying surroundings.

So what's bad (in a good sense) about Bad Boys II? Well, the large numbers of enemies involved mean the action is fast and frantic, and the impressive pace is only interrupted by shoddy-looking, unnecessary cutscenes. There's a decent number of different weapons available, including Uzis, shotguns and sniper rifles, though our cop can only carry one type of weapon at a time in addition to the standard pistol. Although this may be to fairly balance the gameplay, it takes a lot of fun out of it. Your weapons have a nice effect on the environment, from the completely destructible to the benign, like stylishly lit bullet holes in boarded-up windows, and the end-stage bosses are suitably tough. The camera isn't too bad when compared to other third-person shooters out there, but obviously still gets stuck at the most impromptu moments and is frequently frustrating.

Bad Boys II had all the right ingredients for a fun film conversion - exciting licence, comical script and the excuse to blow up everything in sight. Unfortunately, the shoddy presentation and lacklustre execution means the end result is just, well, bad. Watcha gonna do when this comes to you? Rent it for the weekend at best, we reckon.

1. Profanity-littered voiceovers!
2. Fast, frantic action

1. Temperamental camera
2. Bad object collision
3. No character likenesses at all!

Power
A dodgy framerate and game graphics for cutscenes don't impress us Xbox owners

Style
Funny voiceovers and profanities can't compensate for the ambiguous look of the characters.

Immersion
Gentle learning curve until the tough boss stages. Inconsistent aiming function doesn't help.

Lifespan
Limited, as you can't choose which character to control. Mission ratings offer a bit of replayability though.

Summary
Flawed film licence that's fun for a few hours. Cut out the attitude and you've got a passable third-person shooter.