Jeremy Saulnier’s highly-anticipated action movie, Rebel Ridge, is now streaming on Netflix, and it deserves a lot of attention. Although Saulnier started working on Rebel Ridge in 2019 itself, the film’s production was marred by several unexpected delays and issues. John Boyega was initially taken aboard to star as the film’s main character. However, in 2020, the film’s shooting had to be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the film’s principal photography finally started in early 2021, another challenge emerged when John Boyega abruptly departed from the project. Later that year, Aaron Pierre was cast as John Boyega’s replacement, which finally moved the production’s flywheels in a positive direction. After being in production hell for almost five years, the Jeremy Saulnier movie has finally made it to Netflix. It took some time for the film to see the light of the day, but it is absolutely worth streaming for more reasons than one.
Rebel Ridge Is Now Streaming On Netflix – What The Movie Is About
Rebel Ridge Initially Riffs On A Familiar Action Trope
Similar to many action movies, Rebel Ridge introduces a former Marine, Terry Richmond (played by Aaron Pierre), as its main character. To bail his cousin out of prison, Terry arrives in a small town, Shelby Springs, believing his cousin will be released before he gets moved to the state facility. However, moments after the main character enters the town on a bicycle, things take a grim turn when two police officers ram his bike off the road and seize his bail money on the grounds of civil asset forfeiture.
Realizing that resisting would only further escalate the issue, Terry maintains his composure and tries to understand why his money was taken. Despite knowing that he must bail his cousin out soon, he peacefully attempts to get his bail money back. However, the closer he gets to learning more about why the police officers seized his money, the more he realizes that a bigger conspiracy is at play. This forces him to unleash his fury on the local police force, who are ill-prepared for what he can bring to the table with his military tactical experience.
Even when it comes to violence,
Rebel Ridge
is fairly tame compared to other Jeremy Saulnier movies that take a no-holds-barred approach towards portraying gratuitous, graphic scenes.
Rebel Ridge‘s storyline makes it seem like an action-packed thriller, but the film barely features three major action sequences. Instead of using action as its primary narrative device, the Netflix action movie relies more on creating political intrigue and gradually raising the tension of its crime drama. Even when it comes to violence, Rebel Ridge is fairly tame compared to other Jeremy Saulnier movies that take a no-holds-barred approach towards portraying gratuitous, graphic scenes.
Rebel Ridge Is Being Compared To Great Action Movies & TV Shows
It Shares Narrative Parallels With Reacher & Rambo
Rebel Ridge has been received incredibly well by viewers and critics and boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 93%. Owing to its small-town setting and portrayal of an overpowered protagonist, the film is also being compared to other highly acclaimed action movies and shows, like Reacher and Rambo. While many critics have also noted that Rebel Ridge is significantly different from Jeremy Saulnier’s previous movies, which were far edgier and graphic, they have appreciated how the director has breathed new life into familiar tropes of the action genre with his directorial vision.
Why Rebel Ridge Is Worth Watching
Rebel Ridge Delivers Both Compelling Action & Politcal Drama
Although it makes sense that Rebel Ridge is being compared with Rambo and Reacher, the film differs from the two franchises in several ways. For instance, instead of walking from one action set piece to another, Rebel Ridge raises its tension by highlighting how, despite being an overpowered character, Terry Richmond struggles to overcome systemic corruption. The film’s portrayal of Richmond’s journey is more cerebral than action-fueled, which makes it a distinct departure from the relatively more straightforward action-driven narratives of movies like Rambo.
Related
Rebel Ridge Ending Explained
After walking through a slam-bang showdown between Terry Richmond and the police, Rebel Ridge’s gripping action drama finally ends on a positive note.
While walking through Terry’s struggles, Rebel Ridge also offers subtle but effective commentary on racial politics and the exploitable loopholes in the legal system. These underlying themes add a layer of realism to the film’s drama, making it far more relatable. Even during its action sequences, Rebel Ridge avoids being too over-the-top, which adds more heft to its portrayal of several real-world issues. Not to mention, Rebel Ridge also underscores Aaron Pierre’s potential as a leading man in an action movie, which is among the many reasons why it is worth watching.