Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence, language in quirky Western-fantasy hybrid comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned
What's the Story?
In R.I.P.D. 2: RISE OF THE DAMNED, Sheriff Roy Pulsipher (Jeffrey Donovan) is shot and killed during a Wild West shootout with a gang of outlaws. He emerges in the afterlife, where he's informed by his new boss that he'll be sent back to Earth as an officer with the RIPD (Rest In Peace Department), a law enforcement organization dedicated to stopping the "deados" from emerging from Hell to take over the work. Upon his return to the Wild West, he's paired with Jeanne of Arc (Penelope Mitchell), and the two appear as a pair of Black female bounty hunters. While Jeanne has a clear mission in mind, Roy is trying to get revenge on the man who killed him. As it becomes apparent that the man who killed him and the outlaw gang are involved with something far more sinister, it's up to Roy and Jeanne to find a way to stop it.
Is It Any Good?
This is a fun and quirky hybrid movie that works just fine for what it is. R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned isn't working with the most elaborate budget, but it makes the most of each genre it operates in. The comedy aspects aren't particularly funny, but they're not bad either, and serve more to set an entertaining mood more than anything else. It's an effective combination of a Western, a fantasy, a comedy, and a zombie movie.
If there's any real problem with it, it's that the story gets a little too complicated as the movie gets deeper into the second act. There are some plot twists with these "deados" (aka undead bad guys from Hell intent on taking over the planet) that get to be a bit exhausting. Still, it doesn't take itself that seriously, and neither should the audience. It's entertaining.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about hybrid genre movies like R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned. How does the movie combine well-known genres like Westerns, fantasies, and zombie movies?
This is based on a comic book series. What would be some of the challenges in adapting a comic book series into a movie?
In the afterlife, the lead character, a Wild West Sheriff, and his sidekick Joan of Arc, appear as a pair of Black women bounty hunters. In recent years, there has been increasing discussion on diversity and inclusion in movies and television. Why is this important? What do diverse representations add to the quality of movies and TV shows?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 15, 2022
- Cast : Jeffrey Donovan , Penelope Mitchell , Rachel Adedeji
- Director : Paul Leyden
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Book Characters , History
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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