R.I.P.D. (10/29/2013)

Rated PG-13 for violence, sci-fi/fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references.

Starring Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon and Mary-Louise Parker

Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red and The Time Traveler’s Wife)

I don’t want to say that this was the worst movie I have ever seen, because that would actually be too kind.

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 in souls trying to escape final judgment by hiding among the unsuspecting on Earth. Once the wise-cracking Roy is assigned former rising-star detective Nick Walker (Reynolds) as his junior officer, the new partners have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork. When they uncover a plot that could end life as we know it, two of R.I.P.D.’s finest must miraculously restore the cosmic balance…or watch the tunnel to the afterlife begin sending angry souls the wrong way.

I’m just going to jump right in, and forgive me if this review sounds harsh. I’m a huge fan of Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon, and I’m just so mad that they agreed to make this movie. I mean Jeff Bridges was in True Grit and Crazy Heart (and Ironman) for crying out loud. Now he plays a cross between Wyatt Earp and Slingblade…disappointing.

To say the filmmakers were lazy would be a major understatement. There are so many “jokes” that are taken right from the script of Men in Black, the characters display just about every known cliché and even the bad guys are called “deados.” Really?? Deados? I would’ve loved to have been in the pitch meeting when that was discussed. I can almost imagine the writers completely forgetting that was the day they were going to discuss the “bad guys” and Deados was the first thing that came to mind. In fact I’m going to choose to believe that’s what happened instead of believing that they came up with that on purpose.

The only somewhat funny joke is what Nick and Roy look like to the living. Roy is a supermodel and Nick is an old Chinese man. Unfortunately laziness took over again and there are only two or three times when that “joke” is used.

Finally there are the special effects. Even though I’m not a fan of the Men in Black films, I have to admit that most of the aliens look pretty interesting. Unfortunately the filmmakers decided not to copy Men in Black when they came to the special effects and decided once again to be lazy. The Deados look so ridiculous they make Jar-Jar Binks look realistic.

Based on the trailer I had very low expectations, and this movie surpassed every one. I couldn’t wait for the credits to roll… It’s a “Coaster.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Other than the scene at the beginning of the film where Nick and his wife are in bed and we see her in her underwear, there is no sex or nudity.

There is quite a bit of violence, but most of it is cartoonish and not very gory.

As far as profanity goes, there is 1 not fully enunciated F-word (Oh F…), 3 obscene hand gestures, 20 S-words, 19 mild obscenities and 5 religious exclamations (e.g. Jesus, Sweet Jesus, Oh Christ).

CONVERSATIONS STARTER

1. When Nick dies, what happens?


2. Why was he given “a second chance” after he died?


3. Read Hebrews 9:27
   
   And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.
   
   What does the Bible say about “a second chance” after we die?


4. Was Nick prepared to die?


5. What can you do to prepare for the end of your life?