Monday, July 22, 2013

Movie Review: "R.I.P.D." (2013)

Director: Robert Schwentke
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 36 minutes
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Ryan Reynolds stars as Nick, a cop with the Boston police department; Nick is married and happy, but is hiding a secret: he and his partner Hayes (Kevin Bacon) stole gold from a drug bust, and Nick wants to use the money from the gold to make him and his wife's life better. Once Nick wants out, Hayes murders him during a drug raid. On his way to judgement, Nick is transported to a place in the afterlife and asked to join the R.I.P.D. (rest in peace division) or face judgment for his dirty-cop ways. He accepts, and is paired with Roy (Jeff Bridges, king of kings), who was an 1800's lawman with a chip on his shoulder. Together, they are tasked with rounding up "dead-os," people who have died and escaped their eternal judgement, only to uncover an even bigger, more sinister plan.

My favorite movie in the whole wide world is "The Big Lebowski," starring Jeff Bridges.
...Not even he could save this movie.

This movie sucks for many reasons.

1) The CGI is really amateur and cartoonish, which is distracting and tired. In this day and technological age, if you're going to spend money and bank on using CGI, you better make damn sure it's awesome. 

2) Ryan Reynolds can be a movie killer. Sorry, but it's true at this point. His comedic timing doesn't make him funny, it makes him seem douchey. He needs to get himself away from comedies and action movies and either focus on dramas or getting a new day job. Between "The Green Lantern" and "The Change Up," he's failed to deliver at the box office besides huge marketing on his side, large budgets behind him (and a rockin' behind).

3) While the story line could have been potentially interesting and is certainly unique, the whole movie came off as very "Men in Black" try-hard. Unfortunately, it ended up being more like "Men in Black II."

4) It is so freakin' predictable. Right from the get-go, you know what's going to happen before it does.

5) There are very minimal laughs, and the funniest parts often come from the fact that Bridges and Reynolds, to the human world, are seen as a supermodel and an older Chinese gentleman. That, and Mary-Louise Parker's weirdness.

Again, not even Jeff Bridges could do anything for this film, and thought he does have a few brief moments of long-awaited hilarity, I found his over-Western-ness to be annoying. His accent was so overdone that it became grating to hear. Did he need the money that bad???

Oh well, better luck next time, I guess. At least both Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds can sleep easy knowing it was not the worst movie Boston-centered buddy-cop flick of the summer (*cough*THE HEAT*cough*).

My Rating: 4/10 (I want it noted that 1 whole star is specifically for Jeff Bridges because yes)
BigJ's Rating: 4.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 5.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 10%
Do we recommend this movie: No.

5 comments:

  1. We want to see this one. Ryan Reynolds is my boyfriend. Well, one of them. hehe

    ~Deb

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    1. He's got a rockin' bod, but he just can't do comedies! I'd love to know what you think.

      My boyfriend Channing Tatum wants to challenge your boyfriend, Ryan Reynolds, to a duel. Alan Rickman, my second boyfriend, can be the ref! ;)

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    2. Alan Rickman as in Professor Snape?? I did not know you two were an item?!

      Where can we fit my other boyfriend Ryan Philippe into this?

      ~Deb
      (Oh, did you see The Proposal?)

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    3. To answer your question, yes, I saw "The Proposal," and enjoyed it. He was fine in that movie, too.

      And yes, Alan Rickman as in Professor Snape...he can get it. :D

      (We have awesome boyfriends, LOL!)

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    4. I love Professor Snape. He's probably my favorite Harry Potter character.

      ~Deb

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