My quick rating - 3.7/10. This flick has the fun idea of a zombie kangaroo terrorizing a town which sounds like a perfect setup for a wild ride, either as a campy, self-aware romp or a brutal slasher. However, first-time feature writer/director Ryan Coonan seems torn between both approaches, leaving the film in a strange limbo. The plot centers around Maddy (Tess Haubrich), a determined young police officer living in her deceased father's shadow, who must protect her town from a rampaging undead kangaroo. She teams up with her eccentric Uncle Schmitty (Michael Biehn) and resilient Aunt Donna (Angie Milliken) to confront the menace, but the film never fully embraces the ridiculousness of its concept. The tension-filled soundtrack and the more serious tone suggest the filmmakers were aiming for a slasher vibe, but the moments when the CGI kangaroo, "Red," appears undermine any genuine suspense with unintentional humor. The cast's performances are competent enough, with Haubrich giving a solid portrayal of a character who wants to prove herself, and Biehn's Uncle Schmitty adding a quirky edge. Still, they can't elevate the uneven tone of the movie. The CGI used for Red is laughable, and instead of inducing fear, it pulls you out of the moment. The intended terror is overshadowed by the absurdity of the creature’s design and execution. In terms of gore, "Rippy" doesn't deliver anything memorable or shocking. The kills feel generic, lacking the creativity or brutality you'd expect from a film in this vein. Unfortunately, the movie feels like it's trying to play both sides of the fence—neither fully campy nor fully frightening, which leaves the viewer unsure of how to react. If the film had embraced its inherently silly premise from the start, it could've been a fun cult flick. But as it stands, it is an oddball horror film that doesn’t quite work as a slasher or a comedy. And with the door left wide open for a sequel, there’s potential for more zombie kangaroo madness, but I’m not sure the first outing did enough to warrant a second.
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