R.I.P.D.

R.I.P.D.

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 7/19/13

Reviewed 7/23/13 at Grand Haven 9 in Grand Haven, MI

with Gary

1 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

At 96 minutes, I gave this a 3 in the time category and that's because thank goodness it wasn't too long! Gary thinks the movie deserves a little better overall rating, maybe a 2 or 2 /12. But listening to Jeff Bridges' (Ray Pulsipher) accent made me cringe every time he spoke. Not much redeeming about this film except the end, and that was because it was over!

Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) plays a Boston police detective killed while on duty. He and his partner Hayes (Kevin Bacon) had socked away some gold they acquired illegally and Nick was having second thoughts just before he died. Too late though, because now Nick is half way to heaven. But that's good news because it means he didn't go the other way. He has a second chance at redemption as he is partnered up with Ray to hunt down "deados" on Earth. Deados are monstrous creatures that are dead humans that have disguised themselves and are trying to survive, for a reason that is not clear. The movie shows Reynolds and Bridges playing the duo, but break away from them and cleverly show that to everyone on Earth they are seen as a Chinese man and a sexy model. It's pretty cute, but that's about it.

The duo scrape clumsily around and cross paths with shady sleaze bag Hayes still acquiring gold while "comforting" Nick's widow Julie (Stephanie Szostak). They chase around for awhile with not much plot and concluding very predictably with a final showdown among Nick and Ray and the deados. R.I.P.D. was trying (yet failing) to be a Men In Black with a chance to be okay. It just wasn't - at all. This flick is definitely a skipper.

QUIET Rating system: 1 1/2 Js

Quality: J

Understood story:  Jj

Interest: J

Entertainment:  Jj

Time:  JJJ