It looks like Netflix has another smash hit on its hands with the release of Rebel Ridge, starring Aaron Pierre as a former Marine who visits a small town to post bail for his cousin and goes up against two corrupt cops in the process. If the plot sounds familiar, you’re not the only person to think so—Stephen King calls the movie “one of the best. A thinking man's Rambo.” High praise! Here’s what the critics are saying about the action movie currently in Netflix’s top spot.
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Saulnier’s Inspiration
Netflix
Writer/director Jeremy Saulnier started thinking about Rebel Ridge back in 2018. “It’s so hard to trace the exact origin,” Saulnier told The Wrap. “I was just coming off a whirlwind of work, getting battered by the industry, having some fun doing it, but just watching in these huge systems that we all operate in, everyone’s part in it, how frustrating it can be. I was definitely tapping into the frustration that we all go through with just living life in modern society… You’re trying to behave, you’re trying to stay within the guardrails, and you’re thwarted by bureaucracy and it’s just so stifling.”
2. Civil Asset Forfeiture
Netflix
Civil asset forfeiture is a key part of the plot, something Pierre says he had to come to grips with when playing Terry Richmond. “I was aware of it, but when I was welcomed onboard this project, I then did a deep dive and uncovered, you know, many details that I had never known before,” he told NPR. “Many people find it tremendously frustrating and concerning. And at the same time, it happens to be legal. And Jeremy explores this in a really articulate way.”
Proud Leading Man
Netflix
Pierre was thrilled to be chosen to play Richmond. “It’s not every day that an opportunity like this presents itself,” he told Huffpost. “The script is of such a high quality that I was immediately thrilled to even be in connection with it. And when I got connected with Jeremy, that was one of the first things I articulated to him — the nuance, details and dynamic nature of not only the script but all of the characters. It just is a beautiful screenplay. So, for me, it was undeniable. There’s no world where I would’ve said anything but yes to be part of this project.”
Rebel Ridge Is Not Based On a True Story
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But it could be! “This film is not based on a particular incident, but elements of it could certainly happen,” Saulnier told Netflix’s Tudum. “I’m interested in examining corrupt systems — not so much how they’re built, but how they persist. For this movie, I wanted to tap into how the rest of us react to said [corrupt] systems, from corrupt politicians down to the endless loop of a customer service call gone wrong.”
Audience Response
Netflix
Rebel Ridge is currently at the top of Netflix’s chart. “If there’s any one thing I’m going for, it’s simply to activate an involuntary response in the audience,” Saulnier says. “As far as what an audience might take away from it all, that’s thankfully out of my hands now. But I’m fully at peace knowing I gave it everything I got.”
Two Thumbs Up From Critics
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Rebel Ridge is getting great reviews across the board from critics. “Our pulses are elevated by the score, a relentless tattoo of drones and drums, plus the truly sensational camera work of David Gallego which, like our leading man, moves with measured intelligence and makes tactical use of every mirror in sight,” says Amy Nicholson of The New York Times.
“Saulnier’s triple threat of direction, screenwriting, and editing is the greatest asset of ‘Rebel Ridge,’ but don’t underestimate the degree of difficulty in what Pierre brings here, striking just the right balance of desperation and determination,” says Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com.
