Review: Not much life to be found in uneven comedy ‘R.I.P.D.’

Posted on July 26, 2013

By MARK VIOLA / Staff writer

“R.I.P.D.” is an action comedy from director Robert Schwentke, who brought us “Red” in 2010. Seemingly the love child of “Men in Black” (a comic book adaptation itself) and “Ghost Busters,” “R.I.P.D.” follows a newly deceased cop recruited into the Rest in Peace Department, which polices the afterlife for souls who refuse to leave the world of the living.

If the premise seems absurd, it’s because the premise is absurd and there is no escaping that fact. If the film works at all, and it does in a fashion, it’s because the filmmakers accept this and simply run with it. Like walking across burning coals, however, the movie must keep the action moving forward at a breakneck pace for fear that if it stops for one moment, the audience will look down and realize their feet are on fire.

“R.I.P.D.” has a few things going for it, but with ticket prices as they are these days, there are quite a few better films in theaters to choose from instead. If you’re looking for a few not-necessarily cheap laughs and some CGI-enhanced action, however, you can certainly kill 90 minutes.

The film is rated PG-13 for violence, sci-fi/fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references.

Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.