Rebel Ridge landed on Netflix on September 6, 2024. The action thriller has opened to beyond positive reception and a Rotten Tomatoes score that is creeping up by the review, as of writing standing at 98%. Although the cast is mostly unknown to the mainstream, it feels like a star making vehicle, particularly for the movie’s lead talent Aaron Pierre.
Rebel Ridge starts out as an action thriller and quickly transcends into a movie about systematic injustice. However, the tension is held throughout, leading to a chaotic showdown. So, here’s everything you need to know about Netflix’s new thrill ride.
What Is the Plot of Rebel Ridge?
Rebel Ridge gets straight to its premise within its opening scene and carries its suspense throughout. The plot follows Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), an ex-marine who is traveling through a small town with a backpack full of cash to pay his cousin’s bailbond. However, he is ran off the road by a police car and arrested. When they discover the money in his bag, they seize it and set him free. As a result, his cousin is sent to jail, leaving Terry with no option but to go after the corrupt cops. Yet, when he reports them, they retaliate in ways he never expected, revealing themselves to be much more than shakedown artists.
When the police department realize they are up against a combat specialist, they begin to fight dirty. In their wake, innocent people start to get hurt and Terry must decide whether to walk away or unleash his brutal skills. Rebel Ridge feels like 2024’s answer to Sylvester Stallone’s classic First Blood. However, its homages are subtle, and while focusing on authoritive figures going rouge and clashing with a military veteran, this taut thriller holds much more substance underneath the action, delving into a complex mystery that explores wrongdoings in the justice system.
Breaking Down the Cast and Crew
Rebel Ridge is written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, who has been climbing the Hollywood ladder since his breakout indie movie, Blue Ruin. What’s clear, is that Saulnier has a penchant for revenge stories that are executed with slow-burn suspense, something this movie dishes out masterfully. After Blue Ruin, Saulnier wrote and directed the contained thriller Green Room, which was met with critical praise. He then went on to partner with Netflix for Hold the Dark, a movie that was not as critically accepted as his previous entries. However, he has come back strong with Rebel Ridge and showcased what he can do with a larger budget.
In terms of the cast, Saulnier decided to not seek out A-list talents, mostly going with relatively unknown actors. However, when the movie first entered production in 2021, EE Rising Star winner John Boyega was cast as Terry. Yet, according to The Hollywood Reporter, he abruptly departed production due to family reasons, subsequently delaying the picture. Eventually Aaron Pierre stepped in and the ball got rolling again. Alongside Pierre is Don Johnson (Miami Vice, Django Unchained), who shines as the calculated Chief Sandy Burrne. Johnson brings a level of menace to the role as the sleazy lawman whose tactics get dirtier and dirtier as he becomes aware of what he is up against, making for a captivating villain. The supporting cast includes AnnaSophia Robb (The Way Way Back), Emory Cohen (The Place Beyond the Pines), and Dana Lee (Curb Your Enthusiasm).
Rebel Ridge’s Critical Reception So Far
As of yet, Rebel Ridge is Jeremy Saulnier’s highest-rated movie, surpassing all of his previous movies on Rotten Tomatoes but matching Blue Ruin‘s Metascore of 78/100. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus says the following: “An intelligent and gripping vehicle for Aaron Pierre’s star-making performance, Rebel Ridge lays down the law on its action-thriller contemporaries.” Furthermore, many prestigious film critics are praising the movie. The Guardian gave the thriller 4/5 stars, declaring it a “knockout”.
Empire also rated the film 4/5 stars, helming Aaron Pierre “a thinking man’s Rambo”. On that note, it appears the movie is being so well accepted due to its more believable turn of events, with Terry going about his mission carefully instead of going hell-for-leather like a John Wick vehicle. Nonetheless, when the action gets going, the ex-marine shows just how dangerous he can be when he wants to. A key takeaway from Rebel Ridge is that Jeremy Saulnier has now cemented himself as a big-budget action director, boding well for our theory that he would make an excellent choice to direct the next James Bond movie. Read more about that here.
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