"You gonna sit there and mope or do you want to help me stop the, you know, an apocalypse?" After things go very very wrong while out on a bust Boston PD officer Nick (Reynolds) is killed but before he heads to his judgement he is swept into an office and offered a new job. He is now a member of the R.I.P.D. and along with his new partner Roy (Bridges) they set out to capture the Dead-O's that roam free. When Nick finds a connection between the Dead-O's and his death things turn personal. I have to start off by saying that I wasn't really expecting this to be good at all. I'm not sure why but when I say the preview I immediately expected another Men In Black and didn't think it was needed. While I won't say this wasn't Men In Black like, it was much better then I expected and did laugh and was entertained most of the way through. This is very much geared toward a young teen crowd but I still found it funny. I do have to say though that without Reynolds and Bridges this may have been unwatchable. I did like it and am glad I saw it but this isn't something I'd watch again, but keep in mind I expected this to be as bad as all the reviews it got. A combination of Men In Black with a dash of Howard The Duck thrown in. Watchable but really only once. Overall, not even close to as bad as the reviews made it seem, watch it and make up your own mind. I give it a B.
364 Reviews
Not nearly as bad as a lot of people like to say it is.
Hellmant24 July 2013
'R.I.P.D.': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
One of the summer's biggest expensive casualties is this Dark Horse comic adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges as two police officers in the after life fighting undead ghouls. It was directed by Robert Schwentke (who also directed the action films 'RED' and 'FLIGHPLAN') and written by Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi and David Dobkin. Peter M. Lenkov created the comic book it's based on and also executive produced the film. The film also co-stars Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, Marisa Miller and James Hong. Oddly both Reynolds and Parker had two big films opening the same weekend (Reynolds also can be heard in the animated family film 'TURBO' and Parker reprised her role in the sequel to Schwentke's 'RED'). All three films bombed and Reynolds now has a pretty big reputation for constantly delivering box office misfires. That doesn't mean they're bad films though and I actually enjoyed 'R.I.P.D.' to a certain degree (definitely not an especially good movie though).
The film opens with a Boston cop named Nick Walker (Reynolds), having a dispute with his partner, Bobby Hayes (Bacon), over whether or not to turn in gold they found at a recent drug bust. Walker is shot and killed by Hayes during a shootout and is recruited by the R.I.P.D. (Rest In Peace Department) in the afterlife. The R.I.P.D. specializes in catching 'deados', which are souls who have refused to leave the land of the living. Walker is teamed with an old U.S. Marshal from the Old West, named Roy Pulsipher (Bridges), while he attempts to track down his old partner and clear his reputation with the love of his life, Julia Walker (Szostak).
The biggest complaint I've heard about the trailer for the film is how much it resembles the film 'MEN IN BLACK' and I have to say, after seeing the film as well, that it very much resembles a 'MEN IN BLACK' movie. It's of course not nearly as good as that campy sci-fi classic but it is better than it's first sequel (arguably 'MEN IN BLACK 3' as well). The fact is the movie is not nearly as bad as a lot of people like to say it is. It's a lot of fun, funny at times and the visuals are spectacular. It had a budget of approximately $130 million and as a purely visual treat it paid off; as far as the special effects go, plus the women are all super hot (Szostak and Miller are breathtaking in the flick). Watching Reynolds and Bridges together (as an odd couple duo) is a treat as well and it's funny to see Reynolds being mostly the straight man while Bridges mostly hams it up (Bacon is also once again a great despicable villain). Not a great film by any means but not a bad one either.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/NdWU81GeyN4
One of the summer's biggest expensive casualties is this Dark Horse comic adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges as two police officers in the after life fighting undead ghouls. It was directed by Robert Schwentke (who also directed the action films 'RED' and 'FLIGHPLAN') and written by Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi and David Dobkin. Peter M. Lenkov created the comic book it's based on and also executive produced the film. The film also co-stars Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, Marisa Miller and James Hong. Oddly both Reynolds and Parker had two big films opening the same weekend (Reynolds also can be heard in the animated family film 'TURBO' and Parker reprised her role in the sequel to Schwentke's 'RED'). All three films bombed and Reynolds now has a pretty big reputation for constantly delivering box office misfires. That doesn't mean they're bad films though and I actually enjoyed 'R.I.P.D.' to a certain degree (definitely not an especially good movie though).
The film opens with a Boston cop named Nick Walker (Reynolds), having a dispute with his partner, Bobby Hayes (Bacon), over whether or not to turn in gold they found at a recent drug bust. Walker is shot and killed by Hayes during a shootout and is recruited by the R.I.P.D. (Rest In Peace Department) in the afterlife. The R.I.P.D. specializes in catching 'deados', which are souls who have refused to leave the land of the living. Walker is teamed with an old U.S. Marshal from the Old West, named Roy Pulsipher (Bridges), while he attempts to track down his old partner and clear his reputation with the love of his life, Julia Walker (Szostak).
The biggest complaint I've heard about the trailer for the film is how much it resembles the film 'MEN IN BLACK' and I have to say, after seeing the film as well, that it very much resembles a 'MEN IN BLACK' movie. It's of course not nearly as good as that campy sci-fi classic but it is better than it's first sequel (arguably 'MEN IN BLACK 3' as well). The fact is the movie is not nearly as bad as a lot of people like to say it is. It's a lot of fun, funny at times and the visuals are spectacular. It had a budget of approximately $130 million and as a purely visual treat it paid off; as far as the special effects go, plus the women are all super hot (Szostak and Miller are breathtaking in the flick). Watching Reynolds and Bridges together (as an odd couple duo) is a treat as well and it's funny to see Reynolds being mostly the straight man while Bridges mostly hams it up (Bacon is also once again a great despicable villain). Not a great film by any means but not a bad one either.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/NdWU81GeyN4
An effective spoof of the Men-In-Black genre.
PWNYCNY1 August 2013
Foghorn Leghorn comes alive in the person of Roy in this hilarious spoof of the Men in Black series. After reading a slew of reviews that trashed this movie, I decided to watch the movie and judge for myself. Apparently, what I watched significantly differed from what these other reviewers had seen. This movie is obviously a spoof on the Men-In-Black movies, with Jeff Bridges reprieving his Rooster Cogburn role, this time in a character named Roy, with highly amusing results. Indeed at times Bridges performance is hilarious as he and his sidekick Nick bicker and exchange taunts and insults when not destroying "Deadies" who have escaped back to earth. Although Ryan Reynolds co-stars, Bridges dominates the movie. His performance is so strong that he overshadows every other cast member in the movie. Although some of the special effects are cheesy and most of the story is hokey and contrived, such as the love interest between Nick and his wife which really stretches literary license to the limit, the movie nevertheless is engaging and keeps the audience's attention. This is the case because despite his gruffness, Roy is an engaging character. Mary Louise Parker and Kevin Bacon perform wonderfully in supporting roles, with Parker demonstrating a talent for dead-pan humor and Bacon playing a bad guy with much effectiveness. Furthermore, the movie ends on an upbeat note, with the two main characters having resolved the interpersonal issues that had initially strained their relationship. Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds work well together; also, Bridges sings two songs, revealing an excellent singing voice. If one is expecting a sci-fi classic, you will be disappointed. But if one is expecting a well-crafted comedy that will keep you entertained, then you will be gratified.
Way Underappreciated Popcorn Flick
WhatcanyaDo24 May 2019
I don't understand all the hate for RIPD. I get that it's invariably gonna be compared with MiB because they share the same theme, but just because MiB is the superior movie doesn't mean RIPD isn't enjoyable. It has a great cast, good special effects, and an interesting premise. Take it for what it is.... If you go into it looking for a masterpiece, prepare for disappointment. If you just want to be entertained by a pretty good sci-fi movie with some solid laughs, try RIPD out. Just my 2 cents.
Somewhat Generic and predictable, but I still enjoyed it.
runner-1519 July 2013
The movie basically follows the three act formula, and although the crusty veteran and out of element rookie has been done before I enjoyed Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds on the screen together. There is plenty action and a fair amount of comedy. there were some plot holes and the ending left a few unanswered questions. Even with these flaws my wife and I both feel like there are many worse ways to spend a few bucks on a hot afternoon. This is not a blockbuster or a classic movie, I would classify it as a good popcorn flick. Contrary to many other opinions here we both recommend this as a watchable movie, as long as your expectations are reasonable.
Good summer entertainment
Rage-Kage18 August 2013
When I first saw the trailer for R.I.P.D. there were 2 things that made me wanna see it. 1. I love Ryan Reynolds Jeff Bridges and Kevin Bacon. 2. It just looked really entertaining. Thats not to say of course that this movie is without it's flaws.
You do get a feeling like in a way you have already seen this movie before and thats because in some ways it's a lot like Men in Black. that does somewhat pull you out of the movie at times but it really is not that big a problem. In my opinion the pros in this movie far out weigh the cons. It is a fun movie with interesting and likable characters. A cool idea that is fairly well writtin and just an overall fun movie to watch.
Thats really all I have to say about R.I.P.D. I don't really understand all of the hate thats it has gotten it really does not deserve all of that. Have people forgotten how to just have fun sometimes? I give R.I.P.D. a 7.5/10
You do get a feeling like in a way you have already seen this movie before and thats because in some ways it's a lot like Men in Black. that does somewhat pull you out of the movie at times but it really is not that big a problem. In my opinion the pros in this movie far out weigh the cons. It is a fun movie with interesting and likable characters. A cool idea that is fairly well writtin and just an overall fun movie to watch.
Thats really all I have to say about R.I.P.D. I don't really understand all of the hate thats it has gotten it really does not deserve all of that. Have people forgotten how to just have fun sometimes? I give R.I.P.D. a 7.5/10
Predictable? Yes. Fun? Yes!
kosmasp1 September 2013
I mean I get it. People were comparing this to Men in Black even before it was released. Unfortunately for the producers and the makers of the film this didn't make nowhere near that kind of money (box office wise). Instead it seems that Ryan Reynolds is Box Office poison. The superhero movie (Green Lantern) and now this.
He might have been the hope for some studios but I'm not sure if they are still willing to bet money on him. And it's unfortunate, especially because his chemistry with Jeff Bridges is really amazing! There are quite a lot of funny moments in this and it would be fun to see where this would be heading. Having another A-Lister with Kevin Bacon you do wonder why this went south. Great special effects too (they had a good budget to do this though)
He might have been the hope for some studios but I'm not sure if they are still willing to bet money on him. And it's unfortunate, especially because his chemistry with Jeff Bridges is really amazing! There are quite a lot of funny moments in this and it would be fun to see where this would be heading. Having another A-Lister with Kevin Bacon you do wonder why this went south. Great special effects too (they had a good budget to do this though)
Exactly what I expected
Hockey-Girl-199520 July 2013
R.I.P.D. is exactly what it looks like. The plot was not mind-blowing but it was good enough to hold my attention, the acting was not Oscar worthy but they did a very good job in their respective roles and it wasn't the funniest thing I've ever seen but I did laugh. I would almost categorize this as an action before a comedy, it's got quite a bit going on!
I liked the second half of the movie more than the first, though that's not to say the first half was bad. It just felt a little repetitive and right about the time I began to feel like it was going to go in circles, it kept moving and saved itself. The second half steps it up in both action and comedy and the climactic ending was great.
Overall I enjoyed R.I.P.D. It was just a fun movie that you don't need to think about!
I liked the second half of the movie more than the first, though that's not to say the first half was bad. It just felt a little repetitive and right about the time I began to feel like it was going to go in circles, it kept moving and saved itself. The second half steps it up in both action and comedy and the climactic ending was great.
Overall I enjoyed R.I.P.D. It was just a fun movie that you don't need to think about!
Starts well but gets boring
aheaven200519 March 2021
The first act of the movie with the discovery of cop's new life is fun and brings great moments between Reynolds and Bridges. The rest of the movie is more than average with poor special effects and a predictable story.
RIPD review
Al_The_Strange19 July 2013
From the trailer, I had high hopes this film would deliver a smashing spectacle with great humor and a unique premise. Alas, this turned out to be one of those cases where the trailer is better than the movie itself.
To be fair, the film has its moments. The comedy never made me laugh outright, but there are amusing lines and situations throughout. Some of the most amusing moments emerge from the interplay between the characters, and the clever gag in which everybody sees them as different people. As far as the action goes, there is quite a bit of mass destruction and plenty of shoot-outs and fights. However, it is very manic, over-the-top, and strangely cartoony. The overall tone felt really uneven; the movie was fairly serious at times, deadpan in others, and overblown the rest of the time. I was never bored, but I was never fully engaged or invested in things.
It is a shame, because the film has some unique ideas here and there. The overall premise of an undead police department is pretty neat, they use a lot of cool weapons, and they have some really quirky rules and ideas. It's a weird world where Indian food causes the villainous "dead-o's" to "pop" into gaudy monsters (if you remember the beginning of Van Helsing, with Mr. Hyde...pretty much all the monsters look like that, perhaps cross-bred with the zombies from I Am Legend). Everybody perceives the two main characters as a hot blonde chick and an old Chinese dude. Sounds fun, right? For whatever reason, it all comes off as a superfluous effort to build comedy from being weird; it worked so well for the Men In Black films, but it all falls rather flat in RIPD.
The story overall is pretty fast and compact. It does a fine enough job of introducing the characters, slapping them together, and crafting some dynamic chemistry between them. However, the plot is pretty standard fare, and it never takes the time to truly invest the audience in the world it portrays. It shows just enough to make the plot work, but it never explains much, never builds on the things it briefly touches on, and never really makes us care.
The film uses a lot of stylish camera moves, fast-zooms, and slow-motion effects, which you could either see as being really cool or really dumb. Editing is okay in general. Acting is a mixed bag: Ryan Reynolds is strangely flat and emotionless throughout, save for the few love scenes, while Jeff Bridges steals the show repeatedly, in a role that almost seems to parody his role from True Grit. Kevin Bacon is pretty much himself, and I loved watching Mary-Louise Parker. Writing is not that great. This production uses okay sets, props, and costumes. Special effects look cool, but are on the cheap side. Music is hip and fun.
In the end, I couldn't help but to think of other films and how much better they are than RIPD. For stories that involve parallels between worlds of the living and worlds of the dead, I couldn't help but to think that the Bleach anime was a better story, and the Dead Like Me TV series was funnier. For that same concept with the perfect blend of action and comedy, the two Hellboy movies are effectively perfect. For comic-book-inspired stories about enforcers tackling the supernatural without the general public knowing, the three Men In Black movies succeed in everything RIPD tried to do, but failed. And even with the climax, with the dead threatening to rise up and end the world, I couldn't help but to remember how much better Ghostbusters was in this field. RIPD even has a brief staircase gag that reminded me of GB. All of those come recommended, but RIPD, not so much.
Given its poor box office reception, I think it's safe to say that RIPD will Rest in Piece, buried alongside such equally marginal pictures as Jonah Hex and Priest.
3/5 (Entertainment: Average | Story: Marginal | Film: Average)
To be fair, the film has its moments. The comedy never made me laugh outright, but there are amusing lines and situations throughout. Some of the most amusing moments emerge from the interplay between the characters, and the clever gag in which everybody sees them as different people. As far as the action goes, there is quite a bit of mass destruction and plenty of shoot-outs and fights. However, it is very manic, over-the-top, and strangely cartoony. The overall tone felt really uneven; the movie was fairly serious at times, deadpan in others, and overblown the rest of the time. I was never bored, but I was never fully engaged or invested in things.
It is a shame, because the film has some unique ideas here and there. The overall premise of an undead police department is pretty neat, they use a lot of cool weapons, and they have some really quirky rules and ideas. It's a weird world where Indian food causes the villainous "dead-o's" to "pop" into gaudy monsters (if you remember the beginning of Van Helsing, with Mr. Hyde...pretty much all the monsters look like that, perhaps cross-bred with the zombies from I Am Legend). Everybody perceives the two main characters as a hot blonde chick and an old Chinese dude. Sounds fun, right? For whatever reason, it all comes off as a superfluous effort to build comedy from being weird; it worked so well for the Men In Black films, but it all falls rather flat in RIPD.
The story overall is pretty fast and compact. It does a fine enough job of introducing the characters, slapping them together, and crafting some dynamic chemistry between them. However, the plot is pretty standard fare, and it never takes the time to truly invest the audience in the world it portrays. It shows just enough to make the plot work, but it never explains much, never builds on the things it briefly touches on, and never really makes us care.
The film uses a lot of stylish camera moves, fast-zooms, and slow-motion effects, which you could either see as being really cool or really dumb. Editing is okay in general. Acting is a mixed bag: Ryan Reynolds is strangely flat and emotionless throughout, save for the few love scenes, while Jeff Bridges steals the show repeatedly, in a role that almost seems to parody his role from True Grit. Kevin Bacon is pretty much himself, and I loved watching Mary-Louise Parker. Writing is not that great. This production uses okay sets, props, and costumes. Special effects look cool, but are on the cheap side. Music is hip and fun.
In the end, I couldn't help but to think of other films and how much better they are than RIPD. For stories that involve parallels between worlds of the living and worlds of the dead, I couldn't help but to think that the Bleach anime was a better story, and the Dead Like Me TV series was funnier. For that same concept with the perfect blend of action and comedy, the two Hellboy movies are effectively perfect. For comic-book-inspired stories about enforcers tackling the supernatural without the general public knowing, the three Men In Black movies succeed in everything RIPD tried to do, but failed. And even with the climax, with the dead threatening to rise up and end the world, I couldn't help but to remember how much better Ghostbusters was in this field. RIPD even has a brief staircase gag that reminded me of GB. All of those come recommended, but RIPD, not so much.
Given its poor box office reception, I think it's safe to say that RIPD will Rest in Piece, buried alongside such equally marginal pictures as Jonah Hex and Priest.
3/5 (Entertainment: Average | Story: Marginal | Film: Average)
N.O.P.E.
imseeg26 November 2021
I was wondering how I could have missed this movie? Well, it aint worth a watch, that's why.
The bad: many other reviewers (rightfully) already complained about the fact that this movie is nothing else but a cheap and inferior copy of the Men In Black.
More bad: the acting by Jeff Bridges is quite annoying. And I love this actor in many other movies, but this time around I just cant stand his cheesy, superficial performance.
Even more bad: it is indeed (as many others also have mentioned) not really funny, while it is definitely suppose to be funny.
Not any good? Well, the photography and the special effects are good. Lots of money was spent on this movie. And for those who never have seen the Men in Black movies, perhaps some might even think this movie is "okay-ish"...
The bad: many other reviewers (rightfully) already complained about the fact that this movie is nothing else but a cheap and inferior copy of the Men In Black.
More bad: the acting by Jeff Bridges is quite annoying. And I love this actor in many other movies, but this time around I just cant stand his cheesy, superficial performance.
Even more bad: it is indeed (as many others also have mentioned) not really funny, while it is definitely suppose to be funny.
Not any good? Well, the photography and the special effects are good. Lots of money was spent on this movie. And for those who never have seen the Men in Black movies, perhaps some might even think this movie is "okay-ish"...
Silly but Entertaining M.I.B. and Blade Runner Rip-off
claudio_carvalho15 November 2013
In Boston, the dirty cop Nick (Ryan Reynolds) hides gold that he has stolen from drug-dealers with his partner Hayes (Kevin Bacon) in the backyard of his house. However, on the next morning, Nick tells Hayes that he will deliver the evidence to the police since he loves his wife Julia (Stephanie Szostak) and he could not face her acting that way. Nick and Hayes are assigned to a raid against a dangerous gang and unexpectedly Hayes kills Nick.
Nick is drawn by a tunnel and based on his previous experience in the police department, he is assigned in the afterlife by the Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) to join the Rest in Peace Department that protects the living world from the undead and work with the old- fashioned agent Roy (Jeff Bridges). Roy and Nick accidentally find that Hayes in plotting a scheme to revert the sense of the tunnel to the afterlife and bring the Apocalypse to Earth.
"R.I.P.D." is a silly but entertaining M.I.B. and Blade Runner rip-off combined with the clichés of a rookie cop that is assigned to work with a veteran one. Why Hayes had split the gold with Nick if he intended to use in his scheme is one of the many holes in the plot that alternates funny with silly and annoying moments. However, "R.I.P.D." is an entertaining popcorn in the end. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "R.I.P.D. - Agentes do Além" ("R.I.P.D. - Agents from Beyond")
Nick is drawn by a tunnel and based on his previous experience in the police department, he is assigned in the afterlife by the Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) to join the Rest in Peace Department that protects the living world from the undead and work with the old- fashioned agent Roy (Jeff Bridges). Roy and Nick accidentally find that Hayes in plotting a scheme to revert the sense of the tunnel to the afterlife and bring the Apocalypse to Earth.
"R.I.P.D." is a silly but entertaining M.I.B. and Blade Runner rip-off combined with the clichés of a rookie cop that is assigned to work with a veteran one. Why Hayes had split the gold with Nick if he intended to use in his scheme is one of the many holes in the plot that alternates funny with silly and annoying moments. However, "R.I.P.D." is an entertaining popcorn in the end. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "R.I.P.D. - Agentes do Além" ("R.I.P.D. - Agents from Beyond")
What did you expect?!
loyal-on122 July 2013
Seen this 5 days ago and I loved it! Don't really understand what the hate is about or whats the deal with the critics and the awful 25 rating on metascore. The movie does what its supposed to,it entertains,its fun,its not heavy,just plain summertime fun. And all the comparisons with MIB?! They ONLY replaced the alien angle with the deados angle,and its not agent K and J,but its ONLY 2 dead guys,and one of them is a Wild West lawman. This has nothing to do with MIB,plus its a better movie than the last two sequels of MIB. And people say they took the rookie/veteran mismatch from MIB,although it was already done in a million different movies before MIB. I know i've mentioned MIB quiet a few times in this review,but all for you to see that it is nothing like it. Go see it and you won't regret it. Jeff Bridges is hilarious and Ryan Reynolds is cool as always. Its fast,its fun,the special effects are great. Do yourself a favor,buy a lot of popcorn,sit back and enjoy the ride!
Far better than the critics claim
BloodyLance3 August 2013
Yes, it's formulaic in some areas. As a writer, I could see several of the plot elements more or less from the beginning. But this movie isn't intended to be complex, or at an "Avenger" level in terms of characterization. It's just plain good summer fun, with an interesting cast and a lot of laughs. Jeff Bridges is priceless, and he & Ryan Reynolds work well together. Ryan, with his trademark choirboy looks and deadpan delivery, is definitely watchable. Mary Louise Parker, with a scarily perky character who gets to chew the scenery with a load of offbeat lines, is wonderful as the Proctor.
Some reviewers seem to insist on portraying the film as a poor man's ripoff of Men In Black, or Ghostbusters. It's neither. It's just a fun, wisecracking film based on a well known genre comic from independent publisher Dark Horse. Go, have some popcorn, laugh a lot, and enjoy the summer.
Some reviewers seem to insist on portraying the film as a poor man's ripoff of Men In Black, or Ghostbusters. It's neither. It's just a fun, wisecracking film based on a well known genre comic from independent publisher Dark Horse. Go, have some popcorn, laugh a lot, and enjoy the summer.
A Good Mix of Previous Material along with its own originality
breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com20 July 2013
Dark Horse Comics isn't one of the most publicized comic book companies around but they are just as significant as Marvel and DC. Starting all the way back to 1992, Dark Horse has produced their own adaptations to movie industry of their own popular comics. Unfortunately, most of their films did not gain the recognition they deserved because most of them weren't supported enough. Plus, most weren't bad to begin with. On that note, it's important to understand that this movie isn't just a copy of Ghost Busters (1984) and Men In Black (1997); it's mix along with its own unique traits.
The reason why people relate this film to those two movies because it's about a duo, one is newbie and the other, a wisecracking veteran who work together on a paranormal force to take down ghost like creatures. But there's more to that. To get into this division known as the "Rest In Piece Department", you have to die; which is exactly how our main character Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) finds out about this place. What's interesting just about this concept is that the R.I.P.D. exists along side Heaven and Hell. Even if they aren't mentioned directly, it is shown that this particular division is able to have a say on who can join and who can't. Interesting and cool at the same time because it's a third way out if one isn't sure if you're making it to Heaven.
Now it's time to elaborate on the actual antagonists. The "ghosts" that the R.I.P.D. fight are "ghost like" in the sense that they are killed in a ghost like fashion. But honestly, they're more like zombies called Deados, which gives it a unique spin. In Men In Black (1997), Agent K & J used various techniques to unmask aliens in disguise. That's done here is as well but in a goofier fashion using Q&A cards and, another interesting clue is that the Deados cause things to decay around them. That's also awesome; a cool giveaway.
Back to characters, partnering up with Walker (Reynolds) is Roy played by the charismatic Jeff Bridges. Both these two actors share some good on screen chemistry. Reynolds was the weaker half but he still played his character fairly well, however, he did embody the comic character more accurately as well as Bridges. Another one of a kind thing about these characters is how they're disguised as other people. Bridges as model Marisa Miller and Reynolds as James Hong - from the outside, it is one funny looking couple. Don't forget that you also can't die falling off buildings or getting hit by falling cars. Yeah, that's pretty awesome, it's like the writers incorporated a little bit "indestructible" into the equation; sounds kind of like The Mask (1994)...another Dark Horse property.
But that's not all, Kevin Bacon plays Hayes, Nick Walker's human partner. Actually it's been two years since Bacon has been in a movie, so it's nice to see him again. Also Proctor played by Mary-Louise Parker was done well too, her performance was possibly the most deadpan and it worked. Even more interesting is that she carries a small relationship with Roy. The special effects should be appreciated as well. One of the better-looking aspects of the film are the vortexes. They carry a beauty to them that make it irresistible to look away; maybe because it reminds me of Disney's The Black Hole (1979), I don't know.
One other part that was different about the special effects was the stop motion frames, where everything froze. That was different too, to just walk around and see everything as it was when you died was eerie. The direction was also well executed. Robert Schwentke, who directed the first RED (2010) film is at the helm and his ability to keep the audiences attention is done in the correct manner. Plus his shots move fluently, which makes it an easygoing viewing experience. I do have to pick a little with the writing though. A significant part of the plot relies on an ancient artifact, which to me is used way too often. There could've been something a little more interesting to use.
The music composed by Christophe Beck wasn't bad either. Most of the time, the tracks were light and goofy and even had a twang in it for the character of Roy. There was even one scene where Bridges is at a stare down and music is being played where it sounds like a mix between Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy (2010) score and Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1961). What was even more effective were the softer moments, Beck knew how to evoke the right emotions there. My only pick with him is that his score is a little too light, as in its not as present as should have been in the film. There was also a main theme which is important for a franchise to have. So honestly, to say that this movie doesn't have good quality may be judging it too quickly.
Dark Horse Comics may not be as massive as DC or Marvel but they still produce very entertaining films. The characters are funny, the special effects are unique which allows it stand by itself even if it does take parts of other films before it.
The reason why people relate this film to those two movies because it's about a duo, one is newbie and the other, a wisecracking veteran who work together on a paranormal force to take down ghost like creatures. But there's more to that. To get into this division known as the "Rest In Piece Department", you have to die; which is exactly how our main character Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) finds out about this place. What's interesting just about this concept is that the R.I.P.D. exists along side Heaven and Hell. Even if they aren't mentioned directly, it is shown that this particular division is able to have a say on who can join and who can't. Interesting and cool at the same time because it's a third way out if one isn't sure if you're making it to Heaven.
Now it's time to elaborate on the actual antagonists. The "ghosts" that the R.I.P.D. fight are "ghost like" in the sense that they are killed in a ghost like fashion. But honestly, they're more like zombies called Deados, which gives it a unique spin. In Men In Black (1997), Agent K & J used various techniques to unmask aliens in disguise. That's done here is as well but in a goofier fashion using Q&A cards and, another interesting clue is that the Deados cause things to decay around them. That's also awesome; a cool giveaway.
Back to characters, partnering up with Walker (Reynolds) is Roy played by the charismatic Jeff Bridges. Both these two actors share some good on screen chemistry. Reynolds was the weaker half but he still played his character fairly well, however, he did embody the comic character more accurately as well as Bridges. Another one of a kind thing about these characters is how they're disguised as other people. Bridges as model Marisa Miller and Reynolds as James Hong - from the outside, it is one funny looking couple. Don't forget that you also can't die falling off buildings or getting hit by falling cars. Yeah, that's pretty awesome, it's like the writers incorporated a little bit "indestructible" into the equation; sounds kind of like The Mask (1994)...another Dark Horse property.
But that's not all, Kevin Bacon plays Hayes, Nick Walker's human partner. Actually it's been two years since Bacon has been in a movie, so it's nice to see him again. Also Proctor played by Mary-Louise Parker was done well too, her performance was possibly the most deadpan and it worked. Even more interesting is that she carries a small relationship with Roy. The special effects should be appreciated as well. One of the better-looking aspects of the film are the vortexes. They carry a beauty to them that make it irresistible to look away; maybe because it reminds me of Disney's The Black Hole (1979), I don't know.
One other part that was different about the special effects was the stop motion frames, where everything froze. That was different too, to just walk around and see everything as it was when you died was eerie. The direction was also well executed. Robert Schwentke, who directed the first RED (2010) film is at the helm and his ability to keep the audiences attention is done in the correct manner. Plus his shots move fluently, which makes it an easygoing viewing experience. I do have to pick a little with the writing though. A significant part of the plot relies on an ancient artifact, which to me is used way too often. There could've been something a little more interesting to use.
The music composed by Christophe Beck wasn't bad either. Most of the time, the tracks were light and goofy and even had a twang in it for the character of Roy. There was even one scene where Bridges is at a stare down and music is being played where it sounds like a mix between Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy (2010) score and Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1961). What was even more effective were the softer moments, Beck knew how to evoke the right emotions there. My only pick with him is that his score is a little too light, as in its not as present as should have been in the film. There was also a main theme which is important for a franchise to have. So honestly, to say that this movie doesn't have good quality may be judging it too quickly.
Dark Horse Comics may not be as massive as DC or Marvel but they still produce very entertaining films. The characters are funny, the special effects are unique which allows it stand by itself even if it does take parts of other films before it.
Not funny and not exciting - no wonder it flopped
phd_travel14 August 2013
If James Hong's scenes are the funniest part of this movie you know this movie is in trouble.
Its badly written - not funny with banal banter between the lead actors and characters that aren't endearing. Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds are dead cops who come back to earth as Marissa Miller (S.I. model) and James Hong (old Chinese man). The latter pair don't have enough screen time, and it's a shame since their scenes are the only funny part of this. Jeff spends too much time mumbling and swallows most of his jokes. Ryan looks too serious most of the time and doesn't have good lines.
Men in Black was already wearing thin so the monster like villains in RIPD aren't watchable here. The battles on the unattractive streets of Boston are dizzying with repetitive flinging around. Mary Louise Parker isn't endearing as some Proctor in cop heaven. Kevin Bacon is Ryan's cop partner.
Don't waste your time.
Its badly written - not funny with banal banter between the lead actors and characters that aren't endearing. Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds are dead cops who come back to earth as Marissa Miller (S.I. model) and James Hong (old Chinese man). The latter pair don't have enough screen time, and it's a shame since their scenes are the only funny part of this. Jeff spends too much time mumbling and swallows most of his jokes. Ryan looks too serious most of the time and doesn't have good lines.
Men in Black was already wearing thin so the monster like villains in RIPD aren't watchable here. The battles on the unattractive streets of Boston are dizzying with repetitive flinging around. Mary Louise Parker isn't endearing as some Proctor in cop heaven. Kevin Bacon is Ryan's cop partner.
Don't waste your time.
DOA: Woeful mashup of MEN IN BLACK meets GHOST BUSTERS attempt at a new sci-fi/comedy franchise; Truly one of the worst films of the year.
george.schmidt27 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
R.I.P.D. (2013) * Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, James Hong, Marisa Miller, Robert Knepper, Mike O'Malley. DOA - Woeful mashup of MEN IN BLACK meets GHOST BUSTERS attempt at a new sci-fi/comedy franchise based on a comic book by Peter M. Lenkov about an elite supernatural crime fighting force (Rest In Peace Department, get it?) with recently killed-in-the-line-of-fire cop Reynolds teamed up with Old West peace officer Bridges (channeling his Rooster Cogburn with a mouthful of gravel; seriously he's barely comprehensible and I love Bridges but whoa; really bad choice here to go with that) to, what else, save the world from nefarious 'dead-os' (evil dead). Yeah I know. The hackneyed screenplay by Phil Haym Matt Manfredi & David Dobkin delivers no laughs, character development or entertainment and the D-grade level CGI is dreadfully cheesy (do we really need TWO obese 'dead-os'? The monstrosities here are just monstrously tediously terrible). Robert Schwentke is responsible for the reprehensible 'direction'. Truly one of the worst films of the year.
About As Fun As Pouring Acid on Yourself
Michael_Elliott20 July 2013
R.I.P.D. (2013)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
A cop (Ryan Reynolds) is killed by his partner (Kevin Bacon) but instead of going "up or down" he's given a second chance in a police department for dead cops who keep monsters from walking the real streets. He's teamed up with the old school Roy (Jeff Bridges) and soon they realize that the killer partner has something bigger up his sleeve. R.I.P.D. is a complete misfire from the opening scenes to the closing credits. Obviously this thing was influenced by MEN IN BLACK but there are touches of GHOSTBUSTERS and GHOST thrown in for good measure but sadly nothing here works. We can start with Reynolds who is just downright boring here. He has a hard time carrying the material and this certainly isn't good for this type of comedy. Another problem is that Bridges is pretty much playing The Dude once again with a bit of his TRUE GRIT character thrown in. Personally speaking, I'm growing tired of this skit and it's too bad that one of the best character actors out there has to resort to this. Even worse is the fact that Reynolds and Bridges has zero chemistry together and they simply can't play off one another. Bridges does have a few good moments with Mary-Louise Parker and it's a shame that the entire movie didn't center around them. Bacon is fun playing the bad guy. The special effects are all decent but there's no imagination to be found in them or the monsters themselves. The screenplay is one boring scene after another and none of the action scenes contain any fun. Even worse is the love story, which is obviously influenced by the one in GHOST but here it's just laughable. Is this really what a $120+ million budget gets you these days?
* 1/2 (out of 4)
A cop (Ryan Reynolds) is killed by his partner (Kevin Bacon) but instead of going "up or down" he's given a second chance in a police department for dead cops who keep monsters from walking the real streets. He's teamed up with the old school Roy (Jeff Bridges) and soon they realize that the killer partner has something bigger up his sleeve. R.I.P.D. is a complete misfire from the opening scenes to the closing credits. Obviously this thing was influenced by MEN IN BLACK but there are touches of GHOSTBUSTERS and GHOST thrown in for good measure but sadly nothing here works. We can start with Reynolds who is just downright boring here. He has a hard time carrying the material and this certainly isn't good for this type of comedy. Another problem is that Bridges is pretty much playing The Dude once again with a bit of his TRUE GRIT character thrown in. Personally speaking, I'm growing tired of this skit and it's too bad that one of the best character actors out there has to resort to this. Even worse is the fact that Reynolds and Bridges has zero chemistry together and they simply can't play off one another. Bridges does have a few good moments with Mary-Louise Parker and it's a shame that the entire movie didn't center around them. Bacon is fun playing the bad guy. The special effects are all decent but there's no imagination to be found in them or the monsters themselves. The screenplay is one boring scene after another and none of the action scenes contain any fun. Even worse is the love story, which is obviously influenced by the one in GHOST but here it's just laughable. Is this really what a $120+ million budget gets you these days?
It's a really stupid movie that forgets to add fun or thrills
callanvass12 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
After Nick (Ryan Reynolds) gets cold feet about hoarding gold from a bust, he gets murdered by his partner Hayes (Kevin Bacon) He joins the rest in peace department, and is paired up with Roy (Jeff Bridges) a crusty Marshall who lived in the 1800's. Many undead people start swarming Boston, and it's up to Nick & Roy to rid Boston of the undead.
What a dud this turned out to be. It comes across like a poor variation of Men in Black, only without the entertainment. It's very cartoonish, with plenty of annoying characters and situations. The idea is potentially a great one. They could have done something really neat with the premise, but they butchered it with a silly storyline, and an overly jokey tone. Another problem with R.I.P.D is that it's thoroughly predictable. I didn't exactly predict the ending, but I had a general idea of how it was gonna go down, and I was pretty spot on with it. It does the Matrix style of action, with the slow motion; that style has become very redundant and it's now thoroughly annoying. There is plenty of dull building destruction, along with some uninspired shootouts as well, if that interests you. The acting is disappointing. Ryan Reynolds is a favorite of mine, but he can't do much with the material in this one. He is much too blasé with his situation (You're dead! Why are you so cool about it?) His character isn't sympathetic enough, and he shockingly lacks the charisma needed for this role. His chemistry with Jeff Bridges is quite awful. Jeff Bridges was mediocre. He talks like he has cotton balls in his mouth, and his character grated my nerves rather quickly. This part is beneath him, anyway, but he wasn't the Jeff Bridges I've come to know and love. What was up with that ankle fetish of his, did they think that would be funny? Kevin Bacon is at least fun as the villain. There is an OK twist with his character, and he hams it up. It was a wise choice, considering how crappy this movie was. Mary-Louise Parker has a thankless role, and doesn't do much, but flirt with Bridges.
Final Thoughts: This bombed for a reason. It's fairly derivative, unexciting, overly silly, and just a complete misfire. This is one of those rare times where I could have used a more serious storyline. I'm personally gonna say you should pass on this one
4.2/10
What a dud this turned out to be. It comes across like a poor variation of Men in Black, only without the entertainment. It's very cartoonish, with plenty of annoying characters and situations. The idea is potentially a great one. They could have done something really neat with the premise, but they butchered it with a silly storyline, and an overly jokey tone. Another problem with R.I.P.D is that it's thoroughly predictable. I didn't exactly predict the ending, but I had a general idea of how it was gonna go down, and I was pretty spot on with it. It does the Matrix style of action, with the slow motion; that style has become very redundant and it's now thoroughly annoying. There is plenty of dull building destruction, along with some uninspired shootouts as well, if that interests you. The acting is disappointing. Ryan Reynolds is a favorite of mine, but he can't do much with the material in this one. He is much too blasé with his situation (You're dead! Why are you so cool about it?) His character isn't sympathetic enough, and he shockingly lacks the charisma needed for this role. His chemistry with Jeff Bridges is quite awful. Jeff Bridges was mediocre. He talks like he has cotton balls in his mouth, and his character grated my nerves rather quickly. This part is beneath him, anyway, but he wasn't the Jeff Bridges I've come to know and love. What was up with that ankle fetish of his, did they think that would be funny? Kevin Bacon is at least fun as the villain. There is an OK twist with his character, and he hams it up. It was a wise choice, considering how crappy this movie was. Mary-Louise Parker has a thankless role, and doesn't do much, but flirt with Bridges.
Final Thoughts: This bombed for a reason. It's fairly derivative, unexciting, overly silly, and just a complete misfire. This is one of those rare times where I could have used a more serious storyline. I'm personally gonna say you should pass on this one
4.2/10
Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges Definitely Don't Make a Team as Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones,But I Found This Movie Very Fun and Enjoyable,
lesleyharris3030 September 2013
RIPD is a good movie with a decent but weird storyline and good performances.I don't think this film deserved all the negative criticism it received,it definitely isn't brilliant,but I thought it was very funny at times and overall an enjoyable film.It had that same kind of Men In Black theme to it that I enjoyed,definitely not as much but I still found it very fun.The main thing I really didn't like was getting Jeff Bridges character disguised as a young blonde women,it was very disturbing,especially with an actor as talented and well known as him.RIPD definitely misses a lot,but I found it enjoyable and would recommend it as a fun action movie to anyone over the age of twelve.
Nick (Ryan Reynolds),a recently murdered police officer,is murdered and is forced to return to Earth as part of the RIPD,along with a longtime dead cowboy Roy (Jeff Bridges) who helps Nick take his killer Hayes (Kevin Bacon) down.
Nick (Ryan Reynolds),a recently murdered police officer,is murdered and is forced to return to Earth as part of the RIPD,along with a longtime dead cowboy Roy (Jeff Bridges) who helps Nick take his killer Hayes (Kevin Bacon) down.
The "M.I.B." we never asked for.
Big_D_Box_Office_Score19 July 2013
Eh. Listen, if you've seen any of the Men In Black movies, then there's no need to see this, because it's basically THE SAME DAMN MOVIE. Swap Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones out for Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, swap aliens for ghosts/undeads, update the CGI a bit, replace a few letters from the title, and you have R.I.P.D. It's as close to a blatant rip-off as you can get without naming this "M.I.B. 4". "But D, Men in Black is such a great movie, wouldn't that make this one good, even if it's just a copy?" No, and here's why: the execution. You can have the New England Patriots' entire playbook, but it don't mean a thing if you don't have Tom Brady running the plays. (Being a Giants fan, I gave myself a little chuckle with that analogy...lol) Ryan Reynolds is witty enough, but he's not Will Smith. Jeff Bridges is great, but this script isn't strong enough, and even he starts to lose his appeal towards the end. Oh, by the way, did you know Kevin Bacon is in this? Neither did I! Why is that? Have we reached a point in our world where we officially hate this guy to the point where we avoid telling you that he's in the film? I thought he was on a comeback since his show on FOX was doing well...strange. For what it's worth, he plays a solid villain, but he can only do so much with this script. Graphics are nice, but 3D is largely unnecessary. The action is OK, but even the guns feel like a M.I.B. rip-off. There really aren't any strong points to talk about with this movie...nothing that justifies shelling out hard-earned $$$, especially when Pacific Rim is still out there. R.I.P.D. scores a 2 out of 5 on The BDBOS. Don't waste your time.
Lame Men in Black rip-off with some of the sloppiest scripting ever
Leofwine_draca26 February 2015
R.I.P.D. is the latest big-bucks Hollywood blockbuster to attempt to entertain audiences by throwing constant, large-scale, mindless CGI at them. It needs the CGI to get through, because story-wise it's a real mess. A supernatural-themed spin on MEN IN BLACK, the story sees a newly-departed Ryan Reynolds hooking up with veteran Jeff Bridges to kick ass in the spirit world.
What follows is a completely soulless (no pun intended) comedy adventure in which every joke and attempted joke falls flat. It becomes embarrassing before long, not least because Reynolds is so EARNEST...and hopeless with it. Bridges is more reliable, but he seems to have become a mumbler these days so half of his lines slipped me by.
Once it finishes ripping off MEN IN BLACK, R.I.P.D. turns into some kind of GHOSTBUSTERS riff, although it's a far cry from that classic movie. The CGI is rather lamentable considering the number of dollars spent on it, and the characters are so predictable that you'll be sighing at the sloppy writing. Poor old Kevin Bacon, reduced to this kind of nonsense. Once more, Hollywood brings out a movie where fun is made of ethnic minorities, women, and the obese, and where the scriptwriters expect us not to notice at just how many plot holes and goofs are present throughout.
What follows is a completely soulless (no pun intended) comedy adventure in which every joke and attempted joke falls flat. It becomes embarrassing before long, not least because Reynolds is so EARNEST...and hopeless with it. Bridges is more reliable, but he seems to have become a mumbler these days so half of his lines slipped me by.
Once it finishes ripping off MEN IN BLACK, R.I.P.D. turns into some kind of GHOSTBUSTERS riff, although it's a far cry from that classic movie. The CGI is rather lamentable considering the number of dollars spent on it, and the characters are so predictable that you'll be sighing at the sloppy writing. Poor old Kevin Bacon, reduced to this kind of nonsense. Once more, Hollywood brings out a movie where fun is made of ethnic minorities, women, and the obese, and where the scriptwriters expect us not to notice at just how many plot holes and goofs are present throughout.
Good Idea But Bad Execution
stevendbeard19 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I saw "R.I.P.D.", starring Jeff Bridges-True Grit-2010, The Big Lebowski; Ryan Reynolds-Green Lantern, The Amityville Horror-2005; Kevin Bacon-The Following-t.v., X-Men: First Class and Mary-Louise Parker-Red, The West Wing-t.v..
This is based on a comic book, an idea which seems to be quite popular nowadays. Ryan plays a Boston police officer that gets killed on the job. His spirit is taken to a midway station that is called R.I.P.D.-Rest In Peace Department-a place where undead policemen are enlisted to continue fighting crime against undead bad guys. Jeff is a sheriff from the old western days-in fact, he looks like he stepped off the set of his film 'True Grit'. Mary-Louise is their boss at R.I.P.D. and gives them their assignments. Kevin was Ryan's partner when he was alive. I'm not sure why but this movie reminded me a lot of the 'Men in Black' movies; you know, a secret organization fighting creatures using fancy guns. There were some things I liked, such as the fact that their appearances to ordinary live humans were distorted. Ryan looked like an old Chinese man and Jeff looked like a hot blonde bombshell. Their bodies are also pretty durable. They can withstand a lot of abuse in a fight. But there were a few things I did not care for, maybe it was because I am unfamiliar with the books. It's rated "PG-13" for violence, language and sexuality-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 36 minutes. It was O.K. but could have been better. I would probably buy it on DVD but if you are not a comic book fan, you may just want to rent it.
This is based on a comic book, an idea which seems to be quite popular nowadays. Ryan plays a Boston police officer that gets killed on the job. His spirit is taken to a midway station that is called R.I.P.D.-Rest In Peace Department-a place where undead policemen are enlisted to continue fighting crime against undead bad guys. Jeff is a sheriff from the old western days-in fact, he looks like he stepped off the set of his film 'True Grit'. Mary-Louise is their boss at R.I.P.D. and gives them their assignments. Kevin was Ryan's partner when he was alive. I'm not sure why but this movie reminded me a lot of the 'Men in Black' movies; you know, a secret organization fighting creatures using fancy guns. There were some things I liked, such as the fact that their appearances to ordinary live humans were distorted. Ryan looked like an old Chinese man and Jeff looked like a hot blonde bombshell. Their bodies are also pretty durable. They can withstand a lot of abuse in a fight. But there were a few things I did not care for, maybe it was because I am unfamiliar with the books. It's rated "PG-13" for violence, language and sexuality-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 36 minutes. It was O.K. but could have been better. I would probably buy it on DVD but if you are not a comic book fan, you may just want to rent it.
Goofy, but fun!
AverageJoesDriveInPodcast10 July 2018
Listen, I'm a sucker for films like this even if they are a bit Corny. I can often forgive a lot if they're at least entertaining. So often, I want nothing more than to just shut my brain off and watch something simple and goofy.
RIPD falls into that exact category. The plot, premise and so much of the story in this is goofy but fun. The acting is a bit over-the-top but enjoyable. The score fits and it's shot well. The FXs are super cartoon and CGI, but work (think Men In Black) Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds have a good chemistry and Kevin Bacon works as the asshole
I'm not saying this is a good film by any means. I also 100% understand why people don't or won't like it, but I find it enjoyable for what it is. For me, it harkens back to the Sword & Sorcery films of the 80's, same idea in on the enjoyability level. If you like these types of films, you'll probably enjoy this one and can take it for what it is. If that's not your cup of tea, then it's a good idea to skip this one.
My Rating: 5/10
RIPD falls into that exact category. The plot, premise and so much of the story in this is goofy but fun. The acting is a bit over-the-top but enjoyable. The score fits and it's shot well. The FXs are super cartoon and CGI, but work (think Men In Black) Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds have a good chemistry and Kevin Bacon works as the asshole
I'm not saying this is a good film by any means. I also 100% understand why people don't or won't like it, but I find it enjoyable for what it is. For me, it harkens back to the Sword & Sorcery films of the 80's, same idea in on the enjoyability level. If you like these types of films, you'll probably enjoy this one and can take it for what it is. If that's not your cup of tea, then it's a good idea to skip this one.
My Rating: 5/10
I rented this because the first two pages of reviews were 6+
witster1810 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
It's amazing what some people find entertaining nowadays,and no doubt RIPD is meant as a harmless summer action/comedy flick.
I didn't mind that many were comparing it to "Men In Black" because R.I.P.D. is based on a successful comic, and I put MIB3 in my top 25 of 2012. This film borrows a bit TOO much from the MIB series. Not just the 'feel' and the 'look' which I guess can be over-looked because the subject matter is so similar, but when you start ripping off the music and the entire set-up to-boot, it becomes a bit much.
Jeff Bridges steals this show, as expected, but Kevin Bacon and Ryan Reynolds(who I usually dig) both fall flat because the flat script gives them nothing to work with. Bacons villain is anything but scary, and Reynolds lead is anything but funny.
The 'alternate identity' idea isn't handled very well either. WHile it does provide some of the lighter moments in the film - it's not given enough screen time. For the most part, we don't even think about the fact that they're in different bodies.
This is perhaps a touch better than MIB2, but it's not as good as MIB, and not nearly as good as MIB3.
I chuckled a few times during the set-up, but the biggest disappointments here are the way the funny lines disappear half-way through the film, and how the film feels shamelessly rushed. One minute I'm just getting into the characters - the next minute they're wrapping-up the climax in 2 minutes. I'm not kidding. THe final apocalyptic scene is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, and it's terrible.
The film touches on some good points like 'how long they'll be doing this', 'the alternate identity thing', and 'the whole plot which is stupid but works', but somehow it doesn't spend enough time on any of those three ideas. The whole thing is terribly rushed. There isn't enough chemistry between our leads. And, again, the ending feels like it's shot in fast-forward.
I'm at a loss here on all the positive reviews. I guess we've all lowered our standards a bit - especially for summer blockbusters.
I'm dumbfounded that this film spent 130 million, but not surprised it lost 100 million.
See it for Bridges if you like, and Mary Louise Parker is fun here too, but overall this film is scored pretty accurately on IMDb, if not a bit high imo. 49/100
I didn't mind that many were comparing it to "Men In Black" because R.I.P.D. is based on a successful comic, and I put MIB3 in my top 25 of 2012. This film borrows a bit TOO much from the MIB series. Not just the 'feel' and the 'look' which I guess can be over-looked because the subject matter is so similar, but when you start ripping off the music and the entire set-up to-boot, it becomes a bit much.
Jeff Bridges steals this show, as expected, but Kevin Bacon and Ryan Reynolds(who I usually dig) both fall flat because the flat script gives them nothing to work with. Bacons villain is anything but scary, and Reynolds lead is anything but funny.
The 'alternate identity' idea isn't handled very well either. WHile it does provide some of the lighter moments in the film - it's not given enough screen time. For the most part, we don't even think about the fact that they're in different bodies.
This is perhaps a touch better than MIB2, but it's not as good as MIB, and not nearly as good as MIB3.
I chuckled a few times during the set-up, but the biggest disappointments here are the way the funny lines disappear half-way through the film, and how the film feels shamelessly rushed. One minute I'm just getting into the characters - the next minute they're wrapping-up the climax in 2 minutes. I'm not kidding. THe final apocalyptic scene is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, and it's terrible.
The film touches on some good points like 'how long they'll be doing this', 'the alternate identity thing', and 'the whole plot which is stupid but works', but somehow it doesn't spend enough time on any of those three ideas. The whole thing is terribly rushed. There isn't enough chemistry between our leads. And, again, the ending feels like it's shot in fast-forward.
I'm at a loss here on all the positive reviews. I guess we've all lowered our standards a bit - especially for summer blockbusters.
I'm dumbfounded that this film spent 130 million, but not surprised it lost 100 million.
See it for Bridges if you like, and Mary Louise Parker is fun here too, but overall this film is scored pretty accurately on IMDb, if not a bit high imo. 49/100
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews