5.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
A recently slain cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department and tries to find the man who murdered him.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie SzostakAction | 100% |
Fantasy | 60% |
Comic book | 36% |
Comedy | 35% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Rather than kick R.I.P.D. while it's down... writhing on the ground, desperate to grab hold of anything that might help it hoist itself up... ahem. Let's try that again. Rather than go on and on about R.I.P.D.'s box office woes, doomed-from-the-start script, unholy reliance on genre convention, Looney Tunes CG and moon-bounce action sequences... hrm. Let's give it one more try. Rather than focus on just how bad 90% of director Robert Schwentke's monstrously deformed supernatural Men in Black clone really is, it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I should try a different angle for once. "Touch on the positives," I thought. Unfortunately, that amounts to a single word: casting. Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker and (especially) Jeff Bridges clearly had the time of their afterlives bounding from one green-screen set piece to the next, laughing like madmen all the way to the film's shoot-em-up endgame; a bizarre concoction comprised of bits and pieces from MIIB, Ghostbusters II and Wild Wild West. Once I realized there's no defending R.I.P.D., though, I gave up trying. Schwentke's cast may be a godsend, but the rest of the movie is the stuff of development hell. That's right, it's as terrible as you've heard. At the very most, someone, somewhere will declare it a must-see guilty pleasure, and more power to 'em. The rest of you would do well to avoid this one at all costs. It'll swallow your soul; no Evil Dead reference intended.
Reynolds takes another shot at killing his career.
Good news? When the sun is out, the flames are rising or the lights go up, R.I.P.D. offers a decent 3D experience thanks to its technically proficient 1080p/MVC-encoded video presentation. Bad news? The film's post-conversion was already decidedly unremarkable to begin with, and its 3D Blu-ray doesn't improve matters. Brighter, non-action-oriented sequences offer some nice dimensionality and a few instances of reasonably convincing depth, but there really aren't all that many to go around once the Deados' plans begin to come together. Darker scenes, nighttime chases, action beats, almost the entire third act and, worst of all, most every visual effects sequence are wholly unimpressive. Practical shots are rather flat and murky, and scenes involving Deado-transformation FX are even uglier than in 2D. Hand cannons and other firearms jut out of the screen a bit when aimed toward the camera, but little else pops, much less lends itself to an absorbing 3D world. On the flipside, detail is excellent regardless, aliasing and other issues are nowhere to be found and, for those whose displays are prone to crosstalk, ghosting isn't a common occurrence.
Thankfully, R.I.P.D.'s 2D presentation earns its stripes. Yes, the film's (mercifully sparse) CG is garish and unsightly in high definition, but it'd be unjust to hold the sins of the filmmakers against Universal's efforts. Colors are natural and effective, with fiery reds and oranges, stormy blues and grays, convincingly saturated skintones, and satisfying black levels. Contrast is also consistent -- never too dull, never too hot, but a wee bit dusty at times -- and detail is intact. Edges are crisp and clean, without any troubling halos or ringing to speak of. Textures are refined and revealing, and only lose their luster as practical makeup applications give way to the soft, rubbery CG faces and hulking husks of the undead. Delineation is quite capable too, without anything in the way of debilitating crush or noisy shadows. Even the film's faint veneer of grain is present and accounted for. More importantly, macroblocking, banding and other BD monstrosities are nowhere to be found. The only time ungainly oddities creep into the image is, again, when they're attached to computer-generated beasties.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a lot of fun, with plenty of directional wizardry that creates an entertaining, enveloping action-oriented experience. The LFE channel makes its presence known every other minute, embracing every explosion, implosion, shotgun blast, Deado landing, supernatural thoom and boom, and eruption of general disarray the film hurls into the mix. The rear speakers, meanwhile, are busy, busy, busy, latching onto the hustle and bustle of the RIPD precinct and offices, the convincing chatter of Boston's crowded streets and hum of its street traffic, and the sheer chaos that spills from one plane of reality to the next. Directional effects are playful and precise, pans boast ghostly transparency, and the soundfield is immersive. (For the most part anyway. Quieter scenes are a bit too front-heavy, de-prioritizing the sort of ambient aura more rewarding sound design might offer.) Moreover, dialogue is clean, clear and intelligible, without any lost lines or muffled deliveries. Bridges' thick drawl can be a touch difficult to understand, but it hardly matters. Misunderstanding the grizzled lawman proves to be just as funny as catching exactly what he says. Ultimately, it's a riotous, rambunctious lossless track full of life and spirit. No serious complaints here.
Even as an at-times shameless Men in Black clone, R.I.P.D. could be much, much better. A sharper vision, more decisive direction, a smarter screenplay and less generic baddies would have gone a long way to patching the film's wounds, which is where the cast -- Schwentke's saving grace -- comes into play. R.I.P.D. never amounts to a good film, but Reynolds and Bridges give it a go anyway and breathe as much life into the horrifying hijinks as possible. I hated almost every minute of Schwentke's supernatural romp and yet enjoyed watching Reynolds and Bridges have a ball. Go figure. Then there's Universal's 3D Blu-ray release, which is more hit or miss than its 2D counterpart. While it offers a strong 2D video presentation, a technically proficient 3D encode, and a terrific DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, the flat, often murky post-converted 3D experience doesn't impress. Nor does the disc's supplemental package for that matter, despite serving up a decent assortment of extras. Unless you're a diehard 3D enthusiast, I'd recommend rolling your dice with the less expensive 2D edition.
2008
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+ Unrated cut on the Blu-ray
2013
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Extended Edition
2016
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Extended Cut
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Director's Cut
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