Movies
‘Rippy’ Review – Killer Kangaroo Movie Is Neither Fun Nor Thrilling
The phrase “Killer Kangaroo” rolls off the tongue quite well, so it’s nice to finally put it to use. A rampaging ‘roo is indeed the star of Ryan Coonan’s debut, which is based on his previous short Waterborne. However, there is a twist to why the marsupial star of Rippy (originally called The Red) is so steamed up; a mysterious ailment has turned him into a boxing zombie. That kind of logline is prime for hilarity. As it turns out though, this movie does the opposite and ends up playing things straight. Perhaps too much so.
Australia is home to many dangerous creatures: crocodiles, spiders, sharks, and handfuls of lethal snakes. Do kangaroos count as one of those fearsome fauna? Yes and no. The sheer size of a red buck would be intimidating to just about anyone. And if they chose to, a properly aggressive ‘roo could do some real damage with its kicks and punches. So Rippy has genuine inspiration when turning one of Australia’s national animals into a vicious monster. A generic contagion does most of the heavy lifting here, but a stiffly grave tone is also used to push plausibility.
Director/writer Coonan and co-writer Richard Barcaricchio waive the chance for levity in their script, which on paper sounds like a horror comedy. Yet Rippy is intent on staying the course as a serious movie. The choice is baffling and maybe also disappointing, given the antagonist. On the other hand, similar Ozploitation flicks — Razorback, Rogue, The Reef — didn’t exactly joke around. And if we can immerse ourselves in the story more than originally expected, the movie almost feels convincing as a straightforward creature-feature. Almost.
A lot of shorts turned into movies have a hard time filling up all that extra space, and Rippy won’t be the exception. It can’t be all about a rogue ‘roo, can it? Padding things out is now a personal arc for the protagonist; Maddy (Tess Haubrich) fears she won’t live up to her father’s legacy. Lucky for her though, she now has the unique opportunity to prove herself as the sheriff around these parts.
Rippy plays out as anticipated; the characters (including Michael Biehn as Maddy’s uncle) follow the trail of carnage to find the movie’s namesake. And the road to this undead jack is paved with a fair amount of blood and gore. Slashed-up corpses and one wonderfully destroyed cow showcase the commendable makeup and practical effects. At the same time, the handmade gore and mutilation make the CGI used for Rippy all that more obvious, not to mention eye-searing. The quality of the digital imagery is egregious and does the movie absolutely no favors.
Rippy never makes the leap from bad to good, but it’s not a complete loss. Coonan pays careful attention to setting and mood, and he brings out the natural beauty of the story’s rural setting. The characters aren’t too hastily drawn or disposable either. Ultimately, the appalling creature visuals are the biggest letdown in an already boilerplate movie with no distinct personality to call its own, but maybe those factors will draw audiences who enjoy schlocky material. For everyone else, they’ll have to wait until a better killer kangaroo movie hops along.
Before coming to DVD/Blu-ray on December 3, Rippy is in select theaters and on VOD starting on October 18.
Image: Rippy (2024) courtesy of Capelight Pictures.
Movies
‘Backrooms’ Director Kane Parsons Is No Fan of Generative AI: “Defeats the Purpose Entirely for Me”
There has been a lot of talk recently about filmmakers embracing generative AI as part of the filmmaking process, from Darren Aronofsky to Martin Scorsese. But what about filmmakers that are against the use of Gen AI for creative pursuits? You can count 20-year-old Backrooms director Kane Parsons among that group, which should give you some hope for the future.
In a new chat with The Australian, the self-taught young filmmaker makes it crystal clear that he won’t be using generative AI in any of his upcoming filmmaking projects.
“I think I’m in the same boat as most well-adjusted people,” Parsons tells the outlet. “If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would. Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me.”
“What interests me more is interrogating it artistically,” Parsons notes. “We already live in a world where you walk outside and there are billboards and signs that are obvious AI slop. That’s become part of our visual reality. To me, generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.”
He explains, “I’m interested in using that iconography in art – not using AI to make the art itself, but examining what it represents. I definitely want to explore it further in future projects.”
Kane Parsons also notes during the interview with The Australian, “… there’s so much at stake and so many genuinely harmful consequences already happening.”
Backrooms marks young prodigy Kane Parsons’ feature directorial debut, and it’s based on his own series of YouTube videos that were brought to life using Blender, the open-source 3D computer graphics software suite. So it’s no surprise that Parsons, who has hand-made his filmmaking career up to this point, isn’t buying into the hoopla around Generative AI.
His debut feature is the #1 movie in the world, so perhaps he’s onto something.
What’s next from Kane Parsons, you ask? Stay tuned…
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