Item: Rebel Ridge
Rating: 6
Author: Eli Brau

Rebel Ridge Stars Aaron Pierre and Don Johnson and is Directed by Jeremy Saulnier

Review: Jeremy Saulnier is continuing to show that there aren’t many filmmakers capable of making movies like he is. Rebel Ridge occasionally establishes him as an auteur capable of extreme visceral sequences and building up tension that will make you squirm in your seat, but I’m not as sold on his attempt to tie these themes to this story. A good movie made by a director capable of making great movies.

rebel ridge 2024 movie — Aaron Pierre as Terry in Rebel Ridge (2024), directed by Jeremy Saulnier

Rebel Ridge Review

Rebel Ridge is a tried-and-true revenge story with a likeable main protagonist and a formula that’s worked more times than I can count. Jeremy Saulnier‘s latest movie (following the critical successes of both 2013’s Blue Ruin and 2015’s Green Room) packs a punch with no holding back, offering a similarly visceral look at the underbelly of America’s middle class and small town lifestyle. Although churned through the Netflix machine and served up in an at-home viewing experience that slightly diminishes its relevancy, Rebel Ridge acknowledges that some filmmakers can still come out the other side with worthwhile projects.

And maybe that’s sparking the cult-like following that Rebel Ridge has received in the week(ish) since it’s release on the streaming giant’s platform. The fact that a revenge story of this nature – where an ex-Marine confronts local law enforcement for years of corruption after they seize a bag of cash he planned on using to post his cousin’s bail – can become a hit while still being marketed as the next big action thrill ride of the year is impressive. Because Rebel Ridge isn’t really that thrill ride. It’s dark and twisted and full of rage, while rarely letting loose that built up tension and succumbing to genre tropes.

The aforementioned ex-Marine is Terry, and he’s played by Aaron Pierre (whose biggest film credits prior to this are in Garth Davis’ Foe from 2023, and checks notes a rapper named Mid-Sized Sedan in M. Night Shyamalan‘s Old from 2021). Pierre carries the quiet, confident, scarred look quite well. It’s shocking how well he fits into the role considering he was cast shortly before production because of John Boyega‘s surprising decision to drop out of the project. You can still see how Boyega would’ve fit nicely into the role, but Aaron Pierre’s physicality ultimately suits Rebel Ridge perfectly.

And Don Johnson is equally effective in the role of Chief Sandy Burnne, who serves as the film’s big bad and clamors at the opportunity to exert power on those in his community. Where Pierre’s character is reserved and reluctant to show his strength, Johnson’s character can’t wait. The two sink into their roles and provide a solid two-hander that anchors the movie.

Unfortunately, the plot of Rebel Ridge shifts gears a bit too much, switching back-and-forth between Terry’s attempt to bail his cousin out of prison (and ultimately seeking revenge for his death), and a B-plot revolved around his new acquaintance Summer (AnnaSophia Robb), who has been deeply entrenched in the town’s corruption for years and uses Terry’s circumstances as a way to bring these actions to life. Summer wants systemic change that’ll help her family’s current state, but her character seems out of place when mixed with Terry and Sandy’s “mano a mano” conflict.

And the movie overstays its welcome by about 20-25 minutes by trying to make a bigger statement on society than its capable of – almost like you can see the gears turning to get us to a very specific resolution, but that resolution doesn’t satisfy a story that’s trying to tackle corruption affecting the middle class from many different angles. The leaner, the better, and I would’ve trimmed down the sheer amount of plot that has to help us get to the movie’s closing moments.

But Jeremy Saulnier is continuing to show that there aren’t many filmmakers capable of making movies like he is. Blue Ruin and Green Room established him as a auteur capable of extreme visceral sequences and building up tension that will make you squirm in your seat. Rebel Ridge occasionally accomplishes that, too, but I’m not as sold on his attempt to tie these themes to this story this time around. A good movie made by a director capable of making great movies.

Score: 6/10

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Watch Rebel Ridge (2024) on Netflix

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