Review of “Rapture-Palooza” (2013)

What would Saturday night pizza and bad movie be without a bad movie? It had its moments, but it also had moments of ICK.

Plot:

Lindsey Lewis (Anna Kendrick) and her boyfriend Ben House (John Francis Daley) missed the rapture. Lindsey’s mom was raptured but was sent back, complete with white robe and number, after she started an argument in line, so now she finds herself with the rest of the family on earth to suffer the wrath of God or whatever is happening. She spends a lot of time crying and asking, “Why?”

The wipers on Ben’s car can barely handle the rain of blood. Six-inch locusts afflict people screaming, “Suffer!” Crows fly around jeering at people in obscenities. Fiery boulders falling from the sky crush many random people and things. One kills Lindsey’s dad. It was the worst day of Lindsey’s life.

Another fiery boulder crushes the sandwich cart that Lindsey and Ben started to make a little money. Out of desperation, they turn to Ben’s dad (Rob Corddry), who works for the Antichrist (Craig Robinson) as a pool guy. He promises to set them up with something.

The Antichrist/Beast shows up early with his son, Little Beast (Bjorn Yearwood). He falls in love with Lindsey and decides she’s the perfect vessel for his evil seed.

What lady could decline such a charming offer?

If she refuses him, he’ll kill her family and everyone she cares about.

Such a romantic.

Thoughts:

In the opening credits, it notes that “This film is based on a true story.” Um. I don’t know that I would take that too seriously.

The Antichrist is a former politician (I am biting my tongue) named Earl Gundy. One of the running gags is that he keeps saying, “My name is not Earl!” During an angry phone call with his ex, he screams, “Call me the Beast!” The Antichrist gets no respect. To rise to power, he destroyed several cities, including Chicago, and—much to the dismay of Lindsey’s dad—Orlando. His retinue dresses much like the Secret Service, lives in fear of him, and tells each other to say yes to him regardless of what he asks.

The Lewis’s neighbor, Mr. Murphy (Thomas Lennon), is a zombie (?) who does little but mow his lawn, with or without a lawn mower. Lindsey and Ben tell him how good his overgrown lawn looks. Wraiths roam the town, seeking not brains but marijuana.

Because killing him would only bring the Beast back as Satan, Ben and Lindsey hatch a plot to capture and imprison him. It is a crazy plan that should not work. It goes awry, of course.

At one point, Lindsey tells Ben’s dad, “[The Beast] is the most evil person who’s ever lived.”

Ben’s dad (who works for the Beast) responds, “Well, then, the most evil person who has ever lived is paying the bills around here.”

At another point, the Beast has his minions hold up a mirror so he can dance in front of it and ask, “Who’s a sexy beast?”

A couple of things stood out to me. First, this is not a movie for the kiddies. The violence and the vulgarity are over the top. Second, while there are some good lines and funny situations, overall, the silliness didn’t work for me. I liked a lot about the movie and enjoyed watching it, but there were times when it also made my skin crawl.

This is neither here nor there, but the title made no sense to me.

If you’re curious, this can be watched (with a whole lot of commercials) here:

According to JustWatch, It’s also available (with a subscription) on Prime Video (with ads) for rent or purchase Amazon TV, Apple TV, or Microsoft.


Title: Rapture-Palooza (2013)

Directed by
Paul Middleditch

Writing Credits
Chris Matheson…(written by)

Cast (in credits order)
Craig Robinson…The Beast
Anna Kendrick…Lindsey Lewis
John Francis Daley…Ben House
Rob Corddry…Mr. House
Ana Gasteyer…Mrs. Lewis
John Michael Higgins…Mr. Lewis

Released: 2013
Length: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Rated: R