R.I.P.D. Movie Blurb by Shale July 21, 2013 I almost didn't go see this movie because they did not screen it in advance for critics, which is usually a bad sign. Today the aggregate reviews on Rottentomatoes had only 11% of critics happy with this movie and only 52% of audiences liked it. But I had nothing better to get me out of the house so I went to see it anyhow, expecting nothing. I was pleasantly surprised at a fun comedy. First off, this 'sci-fi fantasy' (based on a comic book by Peter M. Lenkov) is as realistic as Ghostbusters or Men In Black. That is the kind of movie it is and if you enjoyed those, then forget the critics and go see this movie. Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) is a Boston Cop, madly in love with his wife Julia (Stephanie Szostak). He and his partner Bobby Hayes (Kevin Bacon) go after a really dangerous criminal with a full SWAT assault and Nick gets killed. Nick & Bobby, Partners On his way to a rather unpleasant looking afterlife, Nick is diverted into the office of Mildred Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) in the Rest In Peace Department where, due to his police background, he is given a chance to work for them retrieving "deados" the renegade souls hanging out on earth who refuse to move on to the afterlife. Nick is assigned to partner with Roy Pulsipher (Jeff Bridges almost reprising his role of Marshal Rooster Cogburn from True Grit) a 19th Century Western lawman who doesn't want a partner and who gives Rookie Nick a little grief. Roy and Mildred also seem to have a little interoffice romance history going on. Nick, Mildred & Roy While working on earth, Nick and Roy appear as their avatars. Nick as an old Chinese grandpa name Jerry Chen (James Hong) and Roy as a hot babe named Opal Pavlenko (Marisa Miller). Jerry Chen & Opal Pavlenko - Nick & Roys Avatars They go about their routine business of rounding up spooks in the afterlife but soon uncover a larger plot, more dangerous to the living on earth and resulting in an all out war of supernatural proportions. (No, that's no spoiler - you knew something big and scary had to happen) Roy & Nick Stopping The Bad Spirits So, surprisingly I enjoyed this movie despite all the negative reviews. But, I'm not a critic, just a guy who likes to sit in a matinee on a hot, humid summer Sunday and be entertained for a couple of hours.
Yeah, it was the lowest grossing opening film, followed by RED. Maybe I should be surprised that I liked them both.
