R.I.P.D.

This may be the most derivative movie I've seen this year.  The film is based on a pretty cool comic book.  That comic is obviously inspired by many influences yet manages to feel fresh and original.  The film, however, just feels like a lesser version of other films.

The plot involves a young cop who is killed in the line of duty.  His spirit is brought to the Rest In Peace Department (RIPD), an organization of ghosts who hunt down fugitives from the afterlife.  He is offered the chance to bypass judgment in exchange for 100 years of service in the RIPD.  Upon accepting this offer, he is partnered with a cranky, old cowboy.  Together they save the world from supernatural shenanigans.

The "supernatural organization/fish-out-of-water-with-an-older-crotchety-partner" storyline is very similar to Men in Black.  Even the scenes where the RIPD is explained and ground rules established are so similar to Men in Black that it borders on plagiarism.  But RIPD does a terrible job of establishing things.  Several times in the movies, a character has to explain what's happening while it's happening!  Otherwise, you'd have to try to piece together theories based on minimal data.  Maybe this route would've been better.  Then there'd at least be people talking about the possible meanings of the events in the movie.  RIPD would've become like a David Lynch film.

The look and tone of the movie, however, is straight out of Hellboy.  The problem there is that RIPD lacks a distinct style.  Hellboy is elevated by director Guillermo Del Toro's keen eye for design and camerawork.  RIPD's director is Robert Schwentke whose films lack any sort of personal stamp.  He directed Flightplan, The Time Traveler's Wife (a very creepy film), and Red (a fun comic book movie with no distinct style).  None of these films share anything that would make a viewer say, "This is a Robert Schwentke movie."

The visual effects are terrible.  Everything is done via CGI.  But it's super crappy CGI.  The result is a movie that looks like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?.  It's really distracting and super ugly.

Ryan Reynolds is bland.  He seems like he's not even happy to be in this movie (I can't blame him).  Jeff Bridges, however, is completely unhinged.  RIPD is almost worth watching just for his weird, over the top performance.  The facial hair, the accent, the crazy eyes.  So many bizarre choices were made by this Academy Award winning actor.

Don't watch this movie.  Unless maybe you're sick at home in a year or two when it shows up on cable and you've got nothing else to watch.  Otherwise, just watch Men in Black or Hellboy. 

4 out of 10