A movie that kicks off with “Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden already interests me. You capture my attention when you add in intrigue, excellently directed action, and a star-in-the-making with Aaron Pierre. Right from the get-go with its opening scene, Rebel Ridge pulls no punches. The shock of that opening scene lingers throughout the film and motivates our main character, Terry Richmond (played by Aaron Pierre). From there, the plot only thickens and gets cloudier and cloudier as the veil of conspiracy and cover-ups make way for an explosive and thought-provoking third act. At points, you might think, “When is this going to just turn into a generic revenge flick?” Well, it always keeps up an air of revenge plotline, but that conspiracy at its heart keeps the film going.

Rebel Ridge stars Aaron Pierre in a star-making performance alongside Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Zsane Jhe, Emory Cohen (who should get a special award for making your skin crawl and hoping that he gets punched in the face), Steve Zissis, and James Cromwell. Green Room director/writer Jeremy Saulnier smashes here with a tight script and magnificent directing. The movie is set in the rural Southern United States, with a police department facing down change, funding issues, and corruption from the top down. The cinematography and shot composition here make you feel just how sticky and hot it is. It adds a new layer to the frenetic pace of the film.

Terry Richmond is “pulled over” by the police on his way to bail out his cousin from jail. The officers on the scene give him a hard time and seize the money he’s supposed to use for bail. In town, he runs into Summer (AnnaSophia Robb), who is sympathetic toward his cause and tries to expose the corruption going on with Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). Terry tries to make a deal with Sandy, which angers him more, and the situation explodes into conflict. That’s all you need to know, but from there, the conspiracy unravels from Terry’s story and with Chief Sandy.

This isn’t just your standard cops bad, good guys good story. There are layers to the story that add even more intrigue to the proceedings. Terry is about as relatable as they come, just wanting to get his cousin out of jail and get on with his life. Don Johnson’s performance and Emory Cohen’s combine for two of the most devilish characters in recent memory. They both are as slimy and enraging as it comes.

While not as prominent as you’d think, the action is masterfully shot when it does happen. Aaron Pierre is an absolute badass, and Terry’s background in the Marines and hand-to-hand combat makes for some genuinely satisfying scenes. There is a lot of simmering tension, and you can feel it in the performances of Pierre and Johnson. It feels like a struggle of wills, even when they’re just talking.

The script from Saulnier is as tight as they come. The movie clocks in at 2 hours and 11 minutes, but there isn’t a moment of wasted time. The stakes only get higher and in those moments where the action dies down, the film still works incredibly well. It’s those lulls in the action that make Rebel Ridge into a classic. There’s a section after the first act where the movie could theoretically end with a choice made by Terry. He makes the seemingly right decision but then is derailed by Chief Sandy and his minions getting greedy in their quest to cover things up. It’s moments like this that build up the credibility of Terry in the audience, but it also shows some savvy writing.

I finished watching Rebel Ridge and immediately wanted to watch the entire thing again, searching for the best shots and replaying the action sequences. It is one of those movies that you’ll want to run outside, jump on a rooftop, and scream for anyone to hear that they should watch it. Between the skeevy and almost skin-crawling villains of the film and Aaron Pierre morphing into the next gargantuan action movie star, Rebel Ridge is magnificent. Combining elements across genres but always holding audiences to the simmering fire, you need to watch this movie.

Rebel Ridge releases on Netflix exclusively on September 6th, 2024.

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