Warning! This post contains spoilers for Netflix’s Rebel Ridge.
There are seven solid reasons Rebel Ridge has received almost unanimous praise from viewers and critics alike and boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%. Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge provides a compelling hook in its opening moments, where a former Marine, Terry Richmond, enters a small town and is rammed off the road by a police vehicle. With that, things only get worse for Richmond after police officers seize the money he wanted to use to bail his cousin out of jail.
The deeper Terry delves into figuring out how to get his money back, the more he learns about the central city’s dark underbelly of systemic corruption. like Rebel Ridges storyline suggests, it dabbles with familiar themes and tried and tested tropes of the action genre. However, the way the Netflix action movie presents and handles these elements makes it stand out among most other action films, which explains why it has landed in nearly every critic’s good books.
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Rebel Ridge features incredible performances
Aaron Pierre perfectly portrays Terry Richmond’s quiet intensity
As reports suggest, Aaron Pier is not the first choice to portray Rebel Ridges protagonist, Terry Richmond. Long before he landed the role, John Boyega was cast to play Terry. However, John Boyega suddenly left the project in June 2021, prompting Rebel RidgeS filmmakers to look for a replacement. Then Aaron Pierre got on board. The actor’s involvement in the film itself was a game-changer, as Pierre captures Terry’s calm intensity.
While one can never guess how John Boyega would have portrayed these Rebel Ridge character, it’s hard to imagine anyone else, except Aaron Pierre, portraying Terry Richmond after watching the film.
Pierre brilliantly describes how Terry Richmond maintains a stoic attitude and avoids confrontation unless necessary. At the same time, he also managed to capture the contrast anger that continues to brew in the former marine after the main city’s police force continues to try him. While one can never guess how John Boyega would have portrayed these Rebel Ridge character, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Aaron Pierre portraying Terry Richmond after watching the film.
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Rebel Ridge is reminiscent of classic action movies
This film is similar to First Blood and Go Tall in more ways than one
Both narratively and thematically, Rebel Ridge is reminiscent of some classic action flicks, viz Go high And First blood. It includes several distinctive hallmarks that once defined the action genre – From a larger-than-life hero to badass one-liners, from a straightforward storyline to musical scores by Iron Maiden. However, despite riffing on the elements and instilling a sense of nostalgia in viewers, Rebel Ridge isn’t shy about avoiding some of the more over-the-top elements of the genre. All in all, it strikes the perfect balance between maintaining relatability and paying homage to its genre roots.
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Rebel Ridge masterfully raises tension without being too violent
The possibility of violence looms over the film
Jeremy Saulnier was known for using graphic violence as the primary narrative device to drive the narratives in his movies. Killing Party, Blue Ruin, Keep the darkAnd Green room Don’t hold back from featuring brutal scenes and relentlessly disturbing aesthetics that enhance their shock value. Unlike Saulnier’s previous movies, however, Rebel Ridge Hardly any violence. There, in fact, only a handful of intense action scenes. The film masterfully manages to gradually raise the tension through Teasing how the possibility of violence looms over every story beat.
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From the opening scene, where the police officers hit Terry’s bicycle, it becomes difficult not to anticipate a fight between the most famous seamen and the law enforcers. However, despite teasing this possibility, the film only puts its foot on the pedal in its final arc, where Terry finally unleashes his fury. Even when he does, he avoids resorting to lethal methods to take the police force down. This effectively draws a clear line between the good guy and the bad cops in the film since the officers don’t think twice before resorting to violent methods to control innocent civilians.
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Rebel Ridge has a great director at its helm
Jeremy Saulnier cemented his place as a talented director with Rebel Ridge
Like Jeremy Saulnier’s previous films, Rebel Ridge Follows a simple story about a man’s struggles against systemic injustice. However, the brilliance with which the director strings together the familiar and simple story elements to generate a pulsating sense of tension throughout its runtime sets the film apart. Rebel Ridge Doesn’t give too much exposition to Terry Richmond’s relationship with his cousin, Mike. However, with just one scene where Richmond races against a speeding bus to punch his cousin, the film gives enough insight into their relationship.
The director also makes almost a separate character of the central city by capturing how corruption runs so deep in its fabric that no one, not even the little moral police officers, dare to ask what is wrong with him before Terry’s arrival.
Scenes like these are a testament to Saulnier’s ability to tell compelling stories and create rootable characterswhich resonated strongly with the audience. Besides delivering memorable character beats and storylines, Saulnier also immerses viewers in the film’s setting, making them viewers of the wrong Richmond faces before he fights back. The director also makes almost a separate character of the central city by capturing how corruption runs so deep in its fabric that no one, not even the little moral police officers, dare to ask what is wrong with him before Terry’s arrival.
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Rebel Ridge brings a new spin to a familiar trope
The film subtly dabbles with themes of racism and police brutality
like Richer, Way house, Go high, Ramboand several other action movies and TV shows, Rebel Ridge riffs on the “Mysterious stranger” trope. It follows a man whose background initially remains shrouded, portraying him as a mere victim of a small town’s unchecked corruption. However, unlike most similar films and shows, it avoids jumping into the action. Before reaching the climactic Showdown between the police officers and Terry Richmond, it highlights how the protagonist must first navigate the legal odds stacked against him despite his formidable and Overpowered.
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Key facts about Rebel Ridge |
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Directed & Written by |
Jeremy Saulnier |
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runtime |
2 hours 11 minutes |
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Rotten Tomatoes critics score |
95% |
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Rotten Tomatoes audience score |
78% |
Instead of purely being a slam-bang battle between good and evil, Rebel Redge Presents as a nuanced political thriller navigating real-world concerns around flawed laws and racism. It shows how, despite the fact that most of the police officers of the central city are racially biased, Terry must keep his head down and not question authority to avoid conflict. The film’s political intrigue makes it even more relatable and realistic.
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Rebel Ridge packs enough suspense to keep one hooked throughout its runtime
The film is constantly driven by a strong sense of purpose
During his time, Rebel Ridge Gives viewers something to look forward to. For example, in his opening arc, it’s hard not to stay invested in Terry’s struggles and wonder if he’ll bail on his cousin before it’s too late. After Mike’s death, the film continues teasing that Terry is at the end of his wits, and only one more confrontation with the police will prompt him to show them what he is capable of.
When the character finally loses his cool and sets out to expose the city’s police, the film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats by gradually unfolding Terry and Summer’s big plan. There is not one dull moment in it Rebel Ridge As it constantly raises the stakes for the main character and hints at how the police officers have made a mistake by messing with him. Even when Rebel Ridge Not exactly propelling his story forward, Aaron Pierre’s performance as Terry Richmond is enough to keep one engaged.