Men in Black, this is Men in Black but with different actors! I kept thinking that throughout this movie and I still think that despite the obvious differences. So, R.I.P.D. offers steampunked adventures of Jay and Kay, I’m sorry, Nick and Roy, two members of the Rest in Peace Department. Based on a graphic novel of the same name, it offers an entertaining blend of comedy, action, and fantasy. There will be all kinds of strange creatures, cool guns, shootouts, and witty remarks. Everything you would expect from a supernatural buddy cop movie.
And again I don’t know how they managed to get away with a PG-13 rating because they will be quite of few nasty transformation scenes and murders. Well, I guess since these are technically not humans, it’s okay to show them. But I digress, starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds, the cast of R.I.P.D. is mighty impressive. Just as impressive as the quality of its special effects. We open with our two main guys chasing an obese but extremely limber man through the streets of a busy city. Just a couple of minutes later we will get another jaw-dropping CGI scene, with the familiar freeze-frame gimmick.
And the list continues. Now, I’ll admit that not all of the jokes landed but most of them were solid. So, R.I.P.D. delivers both the action and the humor. I really can’t explain why the movie flopped but that’s none of our business. The only question we should be asking is whether we should watch this movie. And I can tell you that Subversive Rabbit recommends you watch R.I.P.D. Satan knows it’s not the best movie in the world but at least it’s short and entertaining. A definition of a forgettable summer blockbuster perfect for those nights when you want to have some dumb fun. And if you happen to drink a couple of beers and smoke a few joints, this movie might even surprise you.
Detective Nick Walker of the Boston Police Department has been naughty. I emphasize has been, because he’s now dead and on his way to an afterlife. The naughty part concerns pieces of a gold medallion that he and his colleague Bobby Hayes stole during a drug bust. Nick didn’t have enough time to think about the things he’s done, and he’s already dead, but death is just the beginning (I always wanted to use that line). Welcome to R.I.P.D. or Rest In Peace Department, a special unit of carefully selected men and women that protects the world as we know it from all kinds of ghoulish creatures…
From this moment, R.I.P.D works as any other police movie, you got yourself a rookie cop (who isn’t) and a veteran detective, and when I say veteran I really mean that (from the 1800s) and the villains. The story is a mishmash of Ghostbusters, Men in Black, and basically any other movie with a portal opening in the middle of the fucking city. These fucking portals will be the death of us. Now, I know they had to follow certain storylines from the graphic novel but I think this movie could have benefited from a bit of unpredictability.
Surprise us with something! Add something unnecessary and quirky to throw us off the trail. And I know that I sometimes trash movies that do this but what can I do? You knew what was going to happen in the movie from the first minute. And sometimes that’s okay but other times we would like to be surprised. At least they held up their end of the bargain and we got a climactic finale.
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writer: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, James Hong, Robert Knepper, Marisa Miller
Fun Facts: Zach Galifianakis was originally cast as Roy Powell, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790736/
