Review: R.I.P.D.

R.I.P.D. literally stands for "Rest In Peace Department". And for good reason. They deal with the Dead-O's (the undead, or more specifically, the dead spirits who came back here in another form.)

Not the kind of dead-o that you're thinking about.

They're kinda' like the aliens in M.I.B. where somebody has to keep the freaky-looking weirdos in check or else chaos ensues.

And that's where the similarities end between R.I.P.D. and M.I.B. (besides the acronym-ing). Other than that, it's a whole new ballgame for this film directed by Robert Schwentke. I'd like to mention him first before anything else, and even if he's virtually unknown to me (though he directed the first R.E.D., which is a franchise I love) because besides my film viewing enjoyment, I also noticed that he was kinda' new school in his approach when it came to some cam shots. Like when they were about to do their initial raid with the S.W.A.T. (there goes the acronym-ing again, if that's even a word), the cam made you feel as if you were really looking in different directions, like in a real gunfight.

The Matrix shots really helped out a lot, too!

Ryan Reynolds plays Nick, who gets slain by Magneto's evil German mentor Hayes (Kevin Bacon), gets teamed up with an old western gunslinger─and apparently the best R.I.P.D. operative─Roy (Jeff Bridges) to take on the bad guys, who just happens to be a close contact of Hayes. The bad guys in question here are the so called Dead-O's, and man, do they look weird!

Can't find a photo of Kevin Bacon as a Dead-O. Here's a normal Kevin Bacon instead.

Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) is "Pre-Heaven's" comic relief. I say "Pe-Heaven" because heaven is actually a different place from where Proctor recruited Nick.

While playin' Steely Dan in the background.

She doesn't show her ankles at all because of her high white boots. Thanks to old western guy Roy's ankle fetish (ladies back in the day wore outfits that didn't show 'em ankles) and to Proctor's cute face, the next time I watch R.E.D. or Weeds, I'll be lookin' for 'em ankles.

But the face would be enough, Mary-Louise, thank you!

Nick's (James Hong) and Roy's (Marissa Miller) avatars should've gotten a lot more screen time because they're a really funny couple to look at no matter where you're from. Especially if you'd like to go full racial, this couple would bust stereotypes easily.

Do not let this bimbo handle the wheel!

I loved it (the movie) due to it not being "old". I mean, I know the idea of dead characters coming back to life ain't new. But dead characters coming back as avatars and fighting the undead is something I haven't seen before. I was expecting it to be another comic book adaptation. But it wasn't. And that was very kind of Hollywood to give us another fresh flick.



This film gets a 6 out of 10.
+ 1 for Mr. Big Lebowsaki's exceptional performance.
+0.5 for Mary-Louise Parker's cute mug.
-0.1 Mary-Louise PArker not showing her ankles.
Overall rating 7.4/10





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