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This ambitious, 96-minute, supernatural comedy film was unfortunately a box office disappoint
following its July 19, 2013 release... earning back only 60% of its $130 million dollar budget.
There's good reason for that: audiences were not easily swayed by the familiar premise...
which seems shamelessly borrowed from "Men In Black", nor were they convinced by the
likable cast, which stars Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds in the lead roles. Reynolds
is a recently deceased Boston cop who is recruited into the titular department of undead officers
who track down ghosts, and spirits who refuse to vacate the mortal realm on Earth. Although
many of the jokes seem liked they're pulled straight out of a canceled sitcom, Jeff is
able to save many scenes with his scenery-chewing persona, and stupendous comedic timing. His
inflections alone made me laugh more that once, and is a chief reason why this film
actually works. As for Reynolds... he's convincing enough to get by, especially considering a
majority of his on-screen counterparts are computer generated. The incredibly versatile
Kevin Bacon is the primary antagonist, while the always beautiful Mary-Louise Parker is
relegated to delivering nothing but exposition. Based on the comic book by Peter M. Lenkov
of the same name, it's a decently fascinating premise: that allows for plenty of ridiculous
and outlandish sequences, like when Bridges and Reynolds tackle a slippery, one-armed
"deado" by jumping out of a 30-story building, and resuming their arrest without a scratch,
with the 19th-century lawmen remarking, "You might have noticed, we're pretty durable."
These quirkier fantasy elements don't however mix well with the more serious, and typical
"police investigation" plot thread. Shot on-location in Boston, (home of the 2013 World Series
champion Red Sox!), this film adeptly utilizes many local areas; like a brief appearance
by former Nickelodeon GUTS host Mike O'Malley as Fenway Park's score keeper, an escalator
ride through the Hynes Convention Center, to the docks of the Fort Point Channel...
curiously though, the lengthy climax plays out in the drab and featureless financial
district. While the special effects in the PG-13-rated film are generally convincing
and original, there's still a few shots that look like they were plastered on at the last
minute. The score by Christopher Beck isn't anything special either... sounding more like
a royalty-free track from YouTube's audio library, than the proper backdrop to a major
motion picture. I will say however, the cinematography completely blew me away... director Robert
Schwentke is to be commended for such an inventive and unique visual style that incorporates
fast and dynamic camera moves, like quick snap-zooms, and CGI-assisted follow-dollys,
without ever disorienting the viewer. Although silly, formulaic, and generally unbelievable,
this is a surprisingly fun and entertaining film that is thankfully well-paced, and one
I wouldn't mind watching again. Sure, the gags are weak, the characters poorly defined,
and the story is as forgettable as last week's cafeteria offerings... but I still felt "R.I.P.D."
was an "Exciting fantasy carried by Bridges". Let's read your reviews now from the YouTube
comments.
R.I.P.D.'s score on the rate-o-matic... a THREE and a SIX. Almost all of you criticized
the film for its similarities to "Men In Black", but cited Bridges as the picture's lone redeeming
quality... you thought it was LAME. In an extremely rare occurrence, I scored this film
three points higher... it had more flaws than a rusted out Edsel, but I honestly really
enjoyed the whimsical, light-hearted approach to it all, especially Bridge's performance,
and the slick visuals, I thought it was GOOD.