Quentin Tarantino is once again referring to the current cinematic decade as the worst one he’s ever experienced, except he takes things one step further, hinting that his love for the medium is somewhat fading and that only one or two recent movies have truly impressed him.
Yes, in the latest issue of Sight and Sound, we are promised an “exclusive” op-ed from Quentin Tarantino about the current state of cinema, only to be met with three pages of him raving about—of all things—Joe Carnahan’s “The RIP.”
I loved going to the movies. These days, however, the concept of what is a movie is more inclined to inspire contempt in me than generosity. Which is fair enough, because by comparison the movies of the last six years make the ‘80s seem like the ‘30s. I’ve seen movies I’ve liked since then — “West Side Story (2021); “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 & 2,” a few others, but nothing that really held me in its grip, and swept me away fo to the magical land of enjoyment that I used to visit and was the reason why I loved movies above all artforms. These days I’d rather read a book.
However, a new movie has now come out that did grab me and held me for its entire duration: Joe Carnahan’s “The RIP,” starring the dynamic duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The film is an exciting cop thriller with a novel premise that manages to deliver the goods in really clever ways. The whole package worked for me: Carnahan’s direction, the splendid cast, the look of the film (courtesy of cinematographer Juan Miguel Azpiroz)-but the real powerhouse component of this splendid collection is the sensational screenplay by Carnahan and Michael McGrale.
It’s been such a while since I saw a truly satisfying cop flick that I practically forgot what it felt like. “The RIP” doesn’t just invoke that type of film fondly; it’s one of the finest examples.
So, just to recap, according to Tarantino, this decade of movies absolutely sucks, except for “Horizon: Chapter 1,” “Horizon: Chapter 2,” “West Side Story,” and “The RIP.”
Tarantino goes on to argue that “since the pandemic” it has become “almost impossible” for him to watch a new film without “pick[ing] to death” its flaws. He cites issues ranging from “implausibilities” and “audience pandering” to “miscast performers” and what he calls “plain stupid shit,” which he says often “torpedoes every new movie coming out of the flavourless sausage factory that used to call itself Hollywood.”
While sharply critical of the current landscape, Tarantino also suggests it is not entirely unprecedented, adding that “the 1980s were pretty bad, too,” but not as bad.
One of the funniest moments comes near the end of Tarantino’s essay when his friend casually mentions that they watched “The RIP” and thought it was just okay. He’s absolutely stunned, struggling to believe such an underwhelming reaction could be possible for such an extraordinary movie.
“The RIP” follows a group of Miami cops whose trust begins to unravel after they find millions in cash inside a derelict stash house. Once word of the haul leaks out, things get messy, and no one knows whom they can trust anymore.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, a filmmaker known for both hits and misses, “The RIP” is a mindless, glossy, Netflix-ized action flick. It’s moderate entertainment that entirely skipped theaters, yet is elevated by its two big stars, Affleck and Damon.
Tarantino has always liked this kind of pulpy storytelling, but for him to imply that “The RIP” is one of only a handful of worthy movies this decade is crazy. And that’s despite my agreeing that the 2020s have been the worst era for movies in over 40 years, maybe longer.
A few months ago, Tarantino released his list of the 20 best movies of the 21st century, and only one 2020s film was included: “West Side Story.” The list was published a month before “The RIP” premiered on Netflix.