The film opens in Miami with Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett racing through the city streets in Mike's car on their way to an event. Marcus complains of nausea; Mike pulls over at a corner deli so Marcus can grab a ginger ale. Marcus returns with the soda, a pack of Skittles and a hot dog. As they leave the shop, a gunman bursts in and tries to rob the cashier. Marcus fumbles and nearly exposes the gunman's weapon; Mike intervenes, shoves the thief's arm away and fires, wounding the robber in the leg. The two then speed off to Mike's wedding, where Mike is marrying his physical therapist, Christine.

At the ceremony Marcus, Mike, their families and colleagues gather: Marcus's wife Teresa, daughter Megan and son-in-law Reggie attend; Captain Rita Secada and her boyfriend, District Attorney Adam Lockwood, are present; AMMO agents Kelly and Dorn come as well. U.S. Marshal Judy Howard, daughter of the deceased Captain Conrad Howard, and her daughter Callie sit among the guests. During the reception Marcus collapses with what appears to be a heart attack. He slips into a near-death state where he hallucinates a beach and a figure he recognizes as Captain Howard telling him it is not his time. Marcus wakes weeks later in the hospital and returns home with a renewed appreciation for life and an audacious new confidence; Teresa has already thrown out his snack stash and put him on a health regimen, much to his frustration.

Elsewhere in Miami, former DEA agent James McGrath coordinates with a cartel banker to move a large sum of money into an account registered to the late Captain Howard. After the transfer McGrath orders an associate to execute the bank's bodyguard; the associate shoots him dead. McGrath then forces the banker's girlfriend at gunpoint to shoot the banker and then herself, staging the deaths to make the money trail implicate Howard. News breaks that Captain Howard is being posthumously accused of colluding with cartels, and Mike and Marcus come to the precinct to demand answers. Judy Howard asserts she will find and kill Armando -- Mike's son, whom she blames for her father's death -- if she gets the chance.

Mike and Marcus visit Armando in prison to see if he can identify who masterminded the operation that framed Howard. Armando remembers faces from his past and recognizes someone connected to his mother; he cannot recall a name but can identify McGrath if shown images. While they talk, unknown forces aligned with McGrath are already moving to silence anyone who can connect the dots.

Howard's posthumous failsafe triggers: when McGrath's team attempts to access Howard's accounts they inadvertently activate encrypted video messages Howard left. Mike and Marcus receive recordings in which Howard explains that he knew he might be framed and instructs them to follow a lead he calls the "coke bottle giant," referencing an old informant, Fletcher. The detectives locate Fletcher at his club. Before Fletcher can divulge the full story McGrath himself arrives; he shoots Fletcher dead in the head while Marcus has his gun trained on Fletcher in an attempt to make him speak. A firefight erupts as McGrath's gunmen try to eliminate Mike and Marcus, who fight back until the scene ends with McGrath slipping away. The detectives watch the surveillance footage with AMMO agents Kelly and Dorn; Howard's next recording reveals that his cartel investigation stretched over decades and that he purposely held Mike and Marcus off the case because other officers sent in had been killed. Howard warns that the cartel has infiltrators within law enforcement and federal agencies.

Back in custody, Armando becomes the target of a prison assault orchestrated by McGrath to stop him from testifying. Thugs attack Armando in the yard; Mike orders a transport out of the facility. During the transfer McGrath's crew hijacks the prison helicopter. McGrath forces the pilot to transmit a distress call that frames Mike and Marcus as the attackers; then a henchman slits the pilot's throat, killing him. Mike and Marcus fight through the attackers to reach Armando, free him from being pulled out of the open hatch, and force the pilotless chopper into a crash landing in a lake. They escape the sinking aircraft and swim to shore. The hijacking and the falsified distress feed make national news, and the authorities issue warrants for Mike, Marcus and Armando. McGrath puts a bounty on their heads, alerting every criminal in Miami to their fugitive status.

While on the run, Mike, Marcus and Armando travel through a trailer park to scrounge for supplies. Rednecks confront them; the trio is held at gunpoint until Armando hot-wires a truck and drives them away. The vehicle later breaks down on the highway; Mike calls Tabitha for backup. Tabitha arranges a meet at her club and promises weapons and a vehicle. When Mike, Marcus and Armando arrive, Tabitha stages an ambush: she baits them so local gangsters will collect the bounty. As they are dragged outside and about to be turned over, rival gangsters, including Manny "The Butcher," arrive to settle scores with Mike. The chaos allows the three to escape; they jump into a van, run over Manny, who is crushed into another car, and the van catches fire. A Molotov is thrown into the melee and strikes Manny; he is incapacitated in the collision and set aflame. The van they are in explodes as they leap free, and the trio flees on foot.

Dorn secretly shelters them at his apartment. He and Kelly reveal they are in a romantic relationship. Though reluctant to risk their careers, Kelly and Dorn agree to help Mike and Marcus comb through Captain Howard's evidence so Armando can identify the man in the surveillance footage. Dorn digs into McGrath's past and discovers that McGrath had been a DEA agent whose team was taken hostage by the cartel; after extreme torture McGrath betrayed his team, surviving as the lone man who gave up his colleagues. Howard had spent years compiling proof of McGrath's crimes.

Mike calls Captain Rita Secada and tells her what they've found, but McGrath's operatives are already moving on their families. Through Dorn's hacked camera feeds the group watches McGrath's men break into Christine's home and into Marcus's household. Marcus calls Reggie and warns him; Reggie gathers Teresa, Megan and Marcus's young son and leads them to a safe room while arming himself. McGrath's hit squad breaches the house; Reggie uses guerrilla tactics and precise shooting to take out a large number of attackers, killing roughly fifteen of McGrath's men and successfully keeping the family alive. Meanwhile, McGrath's crew takes Christine hostage and abducts Callie from Judy's home.

McGrath contacts Mike and offers a trade: give him Armando and all of Howard's evidence and he will return Christine and Callie alive. Armando tells Mike he will surrender to protect Christine and Callie, but Mike senses a leak inside the law enforcement circle. Mike phones Rita while she is with Adam Lockwood at the station. As they head to the elevator, Mike realizes Rita is dating Lockwood and that Lockwood overheard parts of his call. Mike confronts Lockwood; Lockwood pulls a gun and tries to kill Rita. Kelly and Dorn burst in and disarm Lockwood. Under duress they interrogate him; he admits his motive--financial gain by facilitating cartel relationships--and consents to allow his voice to be recorded. Kelly and Dorn scan his voiceprint to create a fake call for Mike to impersonate Lockwood and lure McGrath into a meeting.

The heroes set a trap at an abandoned gator theme park known for housing a massive albino alligator nicknamed Duke. They arrange a fake exchange so McGrath will bring Christine and Callie to the site. McGrath arrives in a small plane; Lockwood attempts to escape during the chaos. The two sides open fire across the dilapidated park. Armando hides Callie in the shadows at the water's edge as McGrath's thugs sweep the grounds. One of McGrath's shooters edges toward Armando's position; Armando fires and the gunman tumbles into the alligator-infested water where Duke and other gators converge and devour him. In the shootout Fletcher's earlier death is avenged as Mike and Marcus' allies pick off several of McGrath's men with gunfire and explosives.

Lockwood tries to flee by seizing a small plane; Rita shoots at the aircraft and downs it, sending it crashing into a building. As Lockwood stumbles from the wreckage he continues to fight; Dorn is grazed by a bullet to the arm during the mêlée. Lockwood lunges at Rita with a sidearm; Rita shoves him and forces him to fall into a gator pit where Duke promptly kills him, tearing him apart. The impact and Duke's attack leave Lockwood dead in the pit.

On the beach near the park Mike experiences a panic attack and briefly freezes, seeing a hallucinatory apparition of Captain Howard again. McGrath corners Marcus on a stretch of sand and forces Mike to choose who will die: Marcus or Christine, who is held nearby at gunpoint. To create an opening Mike shoots Marcus in the chest area of his bullet-proof vest, intentionally grazing him to make a shot and blindside McGrath. Mike then takes aim and fires multiple rounds into McGrath, hitting him repeatedly in the torso and head and killing him; Mike fires until McGrath stops moving and his skull is penetrated, his brains exposed from the brutal shootout. With McGrath dead, Christine is freed from his grip.

Elsewhere at the park Armando escorts Callie to safety while dispatching several of McGrath's remaining henchmen with deadly efficiency; he shoots and kills those attackers who are pursuing them, clearing a path for Callie to escape. Judy Howard arrives on the scene and finds Armando. She raises her weapon and prepares to execute him for her father's death. Callie, shaking and bloodied but alive, interposes herself between Judy and Armando. Callie tells Judy that Armando saved her life by protecting her during the abduction and shootout. Judy lowers her gun, hesitates, then releases Armando. Mike helps Armando escape the park by providing cover and a vehicle; Armando leaves territory and blends into the city to avoid arrest.

In the aftermath police and federal agents arrive and begin arresting surviving members of McGrath's organization. Several of McGrath's remaining goons are captured alive and taken into custody. News outlets report that new evidence exonerates Captain Conrad Howard; prosecutors drop the posthumous charges, and Howard's name is cleared based on the cache of sealed materials he left and the exposure of McGrath and Lockwood's roles.

The film closes with Mike, Marcus and their families convening at a neighborhood park for a barbecue. They stand around a grill arguing about who will cook while Reggie walks up holding a tray of seasoned chicken and offers to man the grill. The group laughs and teases Reggie about his sudden culinary confidence, then recall how he fought off the attackers and defended Marcus's family. Reggie smiles, content. The final images show the group together, safe, as news reports confirm Howard's exoneration and the arrest of McGrath's surviving operatives. The camera cuts to black after the men joke about who gets to man the grill.

The ending of Ride or Die (2025) concludes with Paula and Sloane reaching a critical point in their perilous road trip, where the consequences of their choices culminate in a tense and uncertain resolution. The film closes on an ambiguous note regarding their future, emphasizing the complexity of their relationship and the unresolved nature of their journey.

Expanding on the ending scene by scene:

The final act begins as Paula and Sloane, after a series of escalating misadventures and dangers on their road trip from Missouri toward California, find themselves physically and emotionally exhausted. Their relationship, which started as a sweet reunion and blossomed into a passionate romance, has been tested by external threats and internal conflicts.

In one of the last scenes, the two women are shown in a quiet, intimate moment inside a modest motel room. The camera lingers on their faces, capturing the raw vulnerability and tension between them. Paula expresses her hopes and fears about starting anew in California, while Sloane's demeanor reveals a mix of determination and weariness. This scene highlights the emotional stakes and the fragile bond they share.

Shortly after, the narrative shifts to a confrontation triggered by the dangerous situations they have encountered--such as being robbed and nearly kidnapped earlier in the trip. This confrontation is intense but not overtly violent on screen; instead, it is charged with emotional weight, underscoring the themes of trust, survival, and the consequences of their choices.

The film closes with Paula and Sloane driving away from the motel, the road stretching ahead uncertainly. Their expressions are a blend of hope and apprehension, symbolizing that while they have survived the immediate dangers, their future remains unresolved. The ending does not provide clear answers about their fate but leaves viewers contemplating the complexities of love, trauma, and resilience.

Regarding the main characters' fates:

• Paula remains hopeful but cautious, still dreaming of a fresh start in California and a life beyond the hardships they have faced.

• Sloane appears committed to staying by Paula's side despite her flaws and the risks involved, though her unstable tendencies cast a shadow over their prospects.

The film's conclusion emphasizes the ongoing nature of their journey--both literal and emotional--without neatly resolving their conflicts or guaranteeing a happy ending. It reflects the film's broader themes of self-discovery, the challenges of love under pressure, and the uncertain path toward healing and acceptance.

The movie Ride or Die (also known as Bad Boys: Ride or Die, 2024/2025) does not have a post-credits scene in its theatrical release. The film concludes definitively without any mid- or post-credits stinger or extra scene shown in theaters.

However, the digital release version of Bad Boys: Ride or Die includes a new post-credits scene that was not part of the theatrical cut. This scene features a humorous and imaginative montage revealing that the partnership between the two main characters, Mike and Marcus, dates back millennia, including a flashback to 305 B.C. where Mike was a donkey and Marcus was a different figure, emphasizing their inseparable bond across time. It also explores Marcus's near-death experience and the madness he unleashes afterward.

In summary:

• Theatrical version: No post-credits scene.
• Digital release version: Includes a special post-credits scene with a comedic, fantastical origin story montage of the duo's long-standing companionship.

This digital post-credits scene serves as a bonus feature and is part of the extras accompanying the home release, along with other featurettes and deleted scenes.

During the cross-country road trip, hidden secrets and buried traumas between Paula and Sloane surface, which complicate their blossoming romance and lead to darker developments in their relationship.

Sloane is portrayed as an unstable individual whose behavior and decisions create tension and danger, making her come off as unlikable and dangerous, which challenges Paula's desire for a responsible and stable relationship.

Throughout their journey, Paula and Sloane encounter multiple problems including Paula's car breaking down, being robbed, and nearly kidnapped, all of which escalate the stakes and test their trust and survival.

The film features strong silent moments where Paula and Sloane communicate non-verbally, effectively conveying their characters' motives and temperaments, which adds depth to their relationship and drama.

Paula struggles between wanting to act responsibly and being persuaded by Sloane to take risks, a recurring conflict that highlights Paula's desperate need for structure and fear of the unknown as their situation deteriorates.

The 2025 movie Ride or Die is not family friendly and is more suitable for mature audiences due to its themes and content. It is a romance thriller centered on two young women embarking on a high-stakes road trip, exploring complex emotional and romantic dynamics.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

• Mature romantic and sexual content, including a lesbian relationship explored with emotional and physical intimacy.
• Thriller elements that involve tension, danger, and possibly sudden violent or intense scenes, as the story involves unforeseen consequences and a "revenge" element.
• Emotional intensity and psychological complexity, which may be distressing for sensitive viewers.
• The film's tone includes dramatic and life-threatening situations that contribute to a tense atmosphere.

No explicit plot spoilers are revealed here, but the film's themes and scenes are clearly aimed at adult audiences and may not be appropriate for children or those sensitive to mature or intense content.