Rapture-Palooza is that other end of the world comedy starring Craig Robinson that is arriving for audiences this June. Whereas his This Is The End finds The Office vet playing a version of himself, along with James Franco, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Jay Baruchel, Rapture-Palooza has Robinson at the heart of the apocalypse. He is, after all, the anti-Christ!
Anna Kendrick, as far as we’re concerned, is the headliner here. The actress raises the bar on any film she is a part of -- Pitch Perfect anyone? She portrays Lindsey who, while on a bowling date with her sweet as can be boyfriend Ben (John Francis Daley), witnesses many around her getting literally sucked up to heaven.
She, and her boyfriend, and actually quite a few other people… are left behind. It is the Rapture and those not deemed worthy of making the journey to the pearly gates must remain on Earth with foul-mouthed locusts, pot-smoking wraiths and, oh yeah, the blood rain showers that seem to pop out of nowhere. And then there’s the fire and brimstone that randomly falls from the sky.
Those left behind try to make do. Lindsey and Ben, besides all the hell on Earth going on around them, have the challenge of making it through the day dealing with Lindsey’s ever-complaining mom (Ana Gasteyer), who made it to heaven, only to be sent back! Then, there’s Ben’s dad (Rob Corddry), who happens to work for the anti-Christ and thinks this whole Rapture thing is a hoot. At least the neighbor is somewhat normal… you know that zombie (Thomas Lennon) who does nothing but mow his lawn -- all day, every day.
Ben and Lindsey think they may have found a way to end this whole thing when Robinson’s anti-Christ (who insists on being called the Beast) takes a liking to Lindsey and wants to make her his wife/sex slave. Surely if they can ambush the Beast, things can return to normal.
As can be seen in the Rapture-Palooza trailer, the film is an utter goof. It is never meant to be taken too seriously, and that is never more evident than when Robinson is singing I Want to Touch Your Booty. The man is on a roll of late that is hard to ignore.
But the shining light in this film of such comedic darkness is Kendrick. She is a vision of talent and comedic charm that exudes from every scene she has the good fortune of gracing.