Part of the undeniable thread of being a film critic is walking in with expectations. You have them in your head as the lights go out and the screen lights up. What is this movie going to do for me, and what is it supposed to do?

There were two films in January that surprised me to a moderate extent: “Bad Boys for Life” and Guy Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen.”

The last time we saw Will Smith and Martin Lawrence blazing through Miami chasing bad guys, the year was 2002 and I had only been dating my future wife for a year. Michael Bay was still hot shit, and the sequel was met with scathing reviews and pretty much left the franchise for dead.

It returns a little over 17 years later, and looks better than ever thanks to fresh directors, a lively script, and game performances from its two leads. Never say never.

Ritchie hasn’t exactly been missing in action for as long-his “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” remake was solid-but all people can remember is his irrevocable “King Arthur” turd biscuit. It bombed at the box office and with critics, soaking up two hours of people’s lives that would never be returned.

Thankfully, “The Gentlemen” is a return to his familiar yet entertaining gangster playground. With a cast led by Matthew McConaughey and a script with some surprises in it, a sexy soundtrack to boot, Ritchie experienced a return to form.

I reviewed both films, along with all the usual shenanigans, on The Large Morning Show in The Afternoon with Frank O. Pinion last week on 590 The Fan KFNS.

Here’s the full segment.