R.I.P.D. (2013)
TOMATOMETER
Critics Consensus: It has its moments -- most of them courtesy of Jeff Bridges' rootin' tootin' performance as an undead Wild West sheriff -- but R.I.P.D. is ultimately too dim-witted and formulaic to satisfy.
Critics Consensus: It has its moments -- most of them courtesy of Jeff Bridges' rootin' tootin' performance as an undead Wild West sheriff -- but R.I.P.D. is ultimately too dim-witted and formulaic to satisfy.
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Movie Info
Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds headline the 3D supernatural action-adventure R.I.P.D. as two cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department to protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of souls who refuse to move peacefully to the other side. Veteran sheriff Roy Pulsifer (Bridges) has spent his career with the legendary police force known as R.I.P.D. tracking monstrous spirits who are cleverly disguised as ordinary people. His mission? To arrest and bring … More- Rating:
- PG-13 (for violence, sci-fi/fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references)
- Genre:
- Action & Adventure , Comedy
- Directed By:
- Robert Schwentke
- In Theaters:
- Jul 19, 2013 Wide
- On DVD:
- Oct 29, 2013
- US Box Office:
- $33.6M
Cast
-
Ryan Reynolds
as Nick -
Jeff Bridges
as Roy -
Kevin Bacon
as Hayes -
Mary-Louise Parker
as proctor -
Stephanie Szostak
as Julia -
James Hong
as Nick's Avatar
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Critic Reviews for R.I.P.D.
All Critics (91) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (79) | DVD (1)
I watched this movie with three chatty strangers on [a] Thursday night in an otherwise empty theater. Universal couldn't say "no." Looks like that's our job now.
This spends little time on exposition and doesn't go in for any false pathos; compared with most recent comic-book movies, this is lean, unpretentious filmmaking--and to my taste, a lot more fun for it.
Too bad director Robert Schwentke ("RED") and the writing team handling the 3-D screen adaptation don't hold up their end, failing to do much with a premise that felt like it could rate with, say, "Men in Black."
Mr. Bridges is almost always fun to watch, but even his squinting and Slim Pickens-style whooping can't make the time pass faster.
A half-hour into the film, and it feels like the eighth day of jury duty.
With its low-stakes chase scenes, obvious-from-the-get-go villains and nonsensical plotting, this feels more like a 96-minute-long episode of Scooby-Doo that's been laboriously translated into another language and then back into English.
It's not a buddy-cop movie, nor is it an action movie. It's just one vaguely funny joke told for 98 minutes.
It's a predictable and cliché filled soap opera mess played straight with an afterlife gimmick.
a film so preoccupied with style, (the stars) wander around the film without anything of note to do
R.I.P.D may look like something that you've seen before (and you kind of have) but with deft direction, the primal allure of redemption and lightning pace; prepare for a surprisingly entertaining ride.
Bridges may be doing this for the pay cheque but at least he seems determined to give value for money.
It's MIB meets Ghost via Ghostbusters in this flat, FX-driven drivel...Apparently, they're not just scratching the bottom of the Hollywood ideas barrell, they've worn all the way through and are now hitting the floor.
The script is never actually funny, and the filmmakers' desperate attempt to crank up the mayhem with digital trickery is merely exhausting.
Overall, it's a directionless mess: too expensive for a B-movie, too grown-up for a kids' movie (funerals, bereavement and jokes about Steely Dan) and too infantile for everyone else.
The Oscar-winning Bridges sounds like he's chewing marbles and suddenly looks 10 years older than 63.
Who thought this was a good idea and why are they still allowed out alone at night?
A patchy attempt to wrangle quirky, other-worldly comic-book mythology into a mainstream 3D blockbuster format, but one which lacks the oddball imagination to pull it off.
Bridges (gorgeous and effortlessly leftfield) has saved many a dire film. He tries to hold the fort but it just can't be done.
What pours from the screen while you watch this comic book adaptation is seething, unadulterated cynicism.
Bridges has fun slumming here, but even he can't save it from kicking the bucket about halfway through.
It was nice to watch a movie that had no delusions of grandeur, a simple flick that both plays to its strengths and makes light of its own weaknesses.
R.I.P.D. is so wrong-headed that the people who made it couldn't even manage a decent rip-off of Men In Black; they decided to copy the abominable Men In Black 2 instead.
Sluggish and boring, it doesn't have an original bone in its dead body.
[A] goofy and derivative supernatural action-adventure, based on a comic-book series by Peter Lenkov.
So generic a cut-and-paste job is the film's every aesthetic cue, it's surprising to even find a director's name surface in the closing credits.
It's billed as a supernatural action-adventure comedy, but its laughs are almost non-existent, its action depends on seen-it-all-before CGI trickery and much of its plot defies comprehension.
Audience Reviews for R.I.P.D.
I'm not sure how but the comic Rest in Peace Department totally passed me by. It sounds great and indeed the idea behind the story is pretty cool. I haven't read the comics though, so I have no idea if they are any good or if the film is a worthy adaptation. Firstly, I didn't think it was as bad as I'd heard. It is a bit like a cross between Men in Black and Ghostbusters but that really didn't bother me. Unlike those two first though, they totally forgot to add back story or build up. It is a great premise, they should have taken their time with the idea and also focused on some of the characters. Robert Schwentke was a good choice thanks to his work on RED and the direction here is sound, it's just the badly designed Ghosts that let the film down. This is a film running before it can walk and thus tripping over in the process. This had franchise potential but I can't see it happening now. It's hard to imagine messing up such a great story really but I would argue that it is a few teaks short of being great. A huge wasted opportunity but really not all that bad. I loved the counter-characters played by James Hong and Marisa Miller, Jeff Bridges was great but not given enough to work with and the wonderful Mary-Louise Parker suffers similarly. Ryan Reynolds appeal is a mystery to me and Kevin Bacon is fast becoming 'that annoying guy who sells mobile phones' but I'm going to give it a generous 3 out of 5 because of the unjustified hate for this film.
http://cinephilecrocodile.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/r.html
Super Reviewer
**
I've heard this compared to "Men in Black" a lot. While the premise is similar, "Men in Black" is a much better movie. Here, Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds star as officers for the R.I.P.D(Rest in Peace Department). They basically fight dead people who shouldn't be on Earth anymore. I'd say in some ways this has more in common with "Ghost" than "Black" because of Reynolds trying to contact his wife. There is some good humor, but the story is weak and the effects aren't up to the standards that most movies have nowadays. Although I will say, the city being torn apart towards the end is pretty impressive. But the dead people look very fake. I'd say kids will probably enjoy this some for its campy nature, but really, it's just not a very good movie. Not unwatchable, but you'll end up wishing it were better.
Super Reviewer
So I found out this film is based on a Dark Horse comic book which instantly got me somewhat excited truth be told. Yeah I heard all the negative buzz flying around about the film, bad reviews, the fact it bombed blah blah blah...but as we all know you should always see the film and make your own decision right. So yeah I was pretty curious about the whole thing mainly because of the premise which seemed dark and cool. It felt a bit familiar with another certain film sure but I put that to the back of mind.
Well that didn't work, no sooner has the main character been killed and sucked into plain waiting room, the 'MIB' copyright stands up marches down to you and slaps you across the face!. But wait there's more, this isn't just a complete rip off of 'MIB' (could almost be a sequel/prequel), there are heavy elements taken from various other films like 'Hellboy' 'Ghostbusters' and 'Beetlejuice' with all the paperwork and bureaucracy of the afterlife...to a degree.
In general I really got the impression nothing had been fully thought out here, there are some nice ideas, hell the whole plot is fun enough but its been made poorly. First off nothing is really explained too well, why exactly do dead people who don't manage to make it to judgement turn into monstrous ghosts over time? they seem to decay, why?. While I'm talking about them how come the living can see them?! they are ghosts right. Then there is the terrible way the main characters can mingle amongst the living and not get recognised by people that may have known them when they were alive. Again they are ghosts, how come the living can see them plus the fact they look like different people or have new bodies just came across as lame and cheesy. I realise being a ghost doesn't mean you can never be seen, heard or cause damage but all these characters just act as though they aren't dead, you'd never guess this was about ghosts if you didn't know.
Everything seems so wafer thin in conception, there doesn't appear to be anything in place to stop the living finding out about the afterlife and all the monsters. When some ghost monsters run amok downtown that's it, everybody knows about the paranormal being true, no going back, the cats out the bag. On top of that I can't believe that kind of thing has never ever ever happened before, really? with all those huge crazy ass ghost monsters...never ever?? come on you're shitting me. The whole structure of the plot seems so fragile, one pick and it topples.
The gold pieces that form that religious statue thingy, it opens up lots of typhoon-like storms and somehow makes all dead people come back to the realm of the living...wut??. Why would someone create such a device? what would be the point of it? how would anyone benefit? and why doesn't God do something seeing as the film hints at an almighty power above (and below).
So much more could of been done, when 'Nick' arrives in the Boston division of the Rest In Peace Department, the entire reason behind what has just happened (his death) is explained in about five minutes. No sooner is he told he accepts everything and joins the R.I.P.D. without a moments thought, no questions, no disorientation...nah he's good. We don't really see any background action or characters in the afterlife, there is nothing going on, its totally bland and boring mainly because they are trying to copy that Will Smith film. The interior of the Boston Division is seriously taking the piss with the pinching of ideas Jesus! it may well be close to the source material (or not) I don't know, but visually its virtually a copycat. Now I'm not saying the film had to be quirky and kooky like 'Beetlejuice' but its simply screaming out for some depth, something other than plain white walls and grey office furniture.
Its not all bad, as said there are some nice bits. I did like all the cops from different eras within the R.I.P.D., the handguns are quite neat looking and Bridges does play the rootin' tootin' yeehaw! wild west lawman to a tee for sure (if you can understand him, sounds like he's got a gob full of tobacco). Naturally I COULD compare his character to the grizzled 'Agent K' and on the same note I could compare the wet behind the ears Nick to 'Agent J'...but that's way too obvious. I could mention other scene for scene sequences but its not worth it, you only need to watch the trailer to get the gist, this feels like the low budget version of 'MIB'.
Yep that's right I said low budget, the film generally looks awful with shoddy CGI, uninspired ghostie monsters, cheap looking sets, costumes and above all errr...shoddy CGI. The CGI would have looked great about maybe ten years ago. Oh anyone notice there isn't anyone around in the city street sequences towards the end, totally deserted! where has the population gone?!. I hate to say it but it does look like an average video game, the old cliche I'm afraid. Looks like the critics are right with this one, a pretty poor looking formulaic CGI filled shambles that is clearly heavily influenced by many things (or was it the comic book that was heavily influenced?).
Had this gone straight to DVD then you could look on it more favourably. On the other hand had it come out before 'MIB' over sixteen years ago, you could also look on it way more favourably. But as a major summer blockbuster release?! with those visuals!! come on guys seriously.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
R.I.P.D. Quotes
- proctor:
- I think you're smelling what I'm selling.
- Roy:
- She billy goated me!
- Nick's Avatar:
- Nothing to see here. Gotta go.
- Roy:
- You don't look like you anymore.
- Roy:
- I don't know which two eyes to shoot you between.
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