R.I.P.D.

What? Another big blockbuster in 3D?

Yes, it is. This is R.I.P.D., the other summer film to star Ryan Reynolds.

In this one, Reynolds is Nick Walker. Nick is a cop on the Boston Police Force with a loving wife, Julia (Stephanie Szostak), and loyal partner, Bobby (Kevin Bacon). One day, Nick and Bobby seize some gold pieces from a drug bust for themselves. Nick decides to come clean after they partake in their latest bust. We don't know how that bust ends, because for Nick, it ends with Bobby shooting him in the face.

Now dead, Nick is plucked into the offices of the R.I.P.D. (Rest in Peace Department). These dead officers protect the living from rogue spirits, the "Deados", who don't want to go to the other side. Nick is assigned to be the partner of rowdy Marshal Roy Pulsipher (Jeff Bridges). On Earth, they appear to be different people to the living. On the trail of the spooks, Nick and Roy find them planning something apocalyptic.

It's like Men in Black with ghosts. Not just in the premise, but also that it's based on an obscure comic book. The biggest overall difference between them is that Men in Black was a lot funnier.

There were some parts that were funny. For one thing, Jeff Bridges steals the show as the rootin' tootin' Roy. The Earthly disguises concept provided some good gags, up to and including seeing who they are disguised as.

But after all the big special effects, the overall fun factor goes down. The End Result is that this is an average film, rather than the milestone of sci-fi comedy that Men in Black was.

This is a film that I wish I liked a whole lot. But as it is, R.I.P.D. is an OK film that should entertain on a fine afternoon...when it's on DVD.