Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges’ R.I.P.D. isn’t getting very many positive reviews from critics.
Never mind the comparisons to Will Smith’s Men in Black — reviewers just aren’t that impressed with Red director Robert Schwentke’s tale of undead cops and the supernatural creatures they hunt. This could end up being a very sad weekend for the suits at Universal Pictures.
In his review of R.I.P.D. , James Berardinelli pretty much summed up what everyone is thinking. Although there’s certainly a lot happening on-screen, none of it really amounts to anything spectacular. The end result is a movie with tons of flash but very little substance.
“It’s not funny. It’s not exciting. It’s not engaging. It’s a waste of time and money. Having seen it, I can understand why it was hidden from critics. The disappointment is that it wasn’t hidden from everyone else as well,” Berardinelli wrote in his critique of the film .
Hollywood Reporter critic Todd McCarthy wasn’t a huge fan of R.I.P.D. either. Like most critics, he wasn’t overly impressed with what Schwentke and company have to offer. Fortunately for McCarthy, the film isn’t very long.
“As a major undertaking with clear sequel ambitions, there’s just not enough new and exciting here to cut it; when the brief 96-minute running time is one of its two or three only virtues, you know you’re in trouble,” he wrote.
Glenn Kenny from MSN Movies wasn’t as hard on R.I.P.D. as his colleagues. Although he admits that the concept isn’t original, Kenny said Jeff Bridges fans should consider giving the film a shot.
“The execution is pretty lively, irreverent, visually engaging, and every now and then almost actually witty. As mindless entertainments go, you could do a lot worse,” he explained.
Considering the flick is only expected to generate $15 million in ticket sales over the weekend, Universal Pictures is hoping you’ll ignore the critics and give the film a shot anyway.
What do you think about the poor R.I.P.D. reviews? Are you planning to catch the flick in theaters?
