Mikes Film Talk

The 2024 Netflix Rebel Ridge offers the theme of bad cop versus “good guy” and it is surprisingly good. There is nothing too blazingly original here though so don’t get your hopes up too high.

Writer/director Jeremy Saulnier gives us a pretty entertaining tale of small town corruption that does, at times, border on the ludicrous. This is a plot that centers on the bad cops robbing suspects. The slightly elaborate scheme is meant to pay for their bankrupt services

However, at the final confrontation there are far too many patrol cars and cops to support the idea that the cop shop is broke.

The Story

Former Marine Terry Richmond is heading to bail out his cousin Michael Simmons. The vet runs afoul of the local law. They take his bail money and this starts a battle between the good Marine and the crooked cops.

Summer McBride supports Richmond the entire time he tries to get his money back and his cousin out of jail. She is addicted to drugs but she is clean. Summer is also trying to get her own life back together.

The local police soon learn that they have badly misjudged Richmond. A Marine listed on the internet for his martial arts skills.

Rebel Ridge

The film’s name comes from a historical place on the local map. Initially, it seems this is where the final confrontation will take place. The last battle ends up being fought at police headquarters and on the road.

The Main Cast

Aaron Pierre – Terry Richmond

Don Johnson – Chief Sandy Burnne

AnnaSophia Robb – Summer McBride

David Denman – Officer Evan Marston

Cameos of Note

Dana Lee – Mr Liu. *Mr Lee is a personal favourite since his Dr. Ken days. I was very pleased to see him here.*

James Cromwell – Judge

Made for TV Feel

Rebel Ridge is a solid movie. It does, however, feel like Rambo on a budget. It also suffers from what I call “The A-Team effect.” *The television show, not the Liam Neeson film.* 80’s television, like The A-Team and MacGyver for instance, had a number of minimal, or zero, fatalities. These often violent but not fatal shows were pretty much the norm on “family friendly” offerings.

In these shows, guns never need to be reloaded and no one dies from gunshot wounds. A line in Rebel Ridge sets us up for this A-Team finale. “Less Lethal,” Says Chief Burnne and he means it.

Richmond uses a number of weapons in the film to disarm and take out the bad cops. None of these are lethal. And, quite amazingly, no one fires a weapon, except for the police. *There is a bean bag shotgun sequence with Richmond pulling the trigger, and he uses a taser, but that is it.”

The Verdict

Rebel Ridge is pretty good. I give it a shaky 3.5 stars. There are a few things that feel that little bit convoluted. The entire thing manages to work though because of the acting. Pierre, who stepped in last minute to replace John Boyega, kills it here. Don Johnson, who is after all; Don Johnson, also knocks this one out of the park. Ms Robb also acquits herself very well.

In fact, all the actors put their all into the respective roles they play. Despite the “PG-13” stamp of approval, the movie is one to enjoy. It is, of course, streaming on Netflix.

The trailer