While January is the month many of us make (and probably also break) New Year’s resolutions, for film lovers, it’s also the period the movie landscape offers nothing but adrenaline-fueled B-action features. This year, that honour is bestowed on Greenland 2: Migration starring Gerard Butler and Jason Statham’s upcoming Shelter on the big screen, while on the small screen, it’s Joe Carnahan’s The Rip who easily takes that crown.
Unlike many recent Netflix movies, this cop drama doesn’t get a theatrical release and goes straight to streaming. That’s a shame, though, as it definitely has the star-studded appeal, full-throttle action, and an easy-to-consume storyline. In the wake of his wife/captain Jackie’s (Lina Esco) untimely and suspicious death, lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) is interrogated concerning his potential involvement in her demise. His whereabouts are checked and double-checked while his personal relationship with Jackie is scrutinised. In the opposite interrogation room sits Damon’s partner in crime – literally and figuratively – Ben Affleck as the explosive Sergeant JD Byrne. Just like Dunmars, he’s being grilled, and his confrontational body language strongly suggests that someone in the room may be withholding the truth. But who is it?
While their characters try to figure out which side of the law they stand on and whom they can trust, both actors deliver on-point performances. Damon is extremely commanding as the grief-stricken yet determined Dumars, while Affleck shows us much more powerful acting due to Byrne’s stubborn nature. When the Hollywood fairytale duo finally face each other, they deliver fireworks. Both actors certainly do their roles with humanity and emotion, but the unoriginal script slowly undermines their acting when Carnahan sets the rip in motion.
After the group – including detectives Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor) – gets an anonymous tip about a stash house brimming with cash, they literally and figuratively find more than they bargained for. The amount of money is much more than expected, and as a result of that, a high-stakes yet predictable standoff between police, cartel members and the innocent parties caught in the middle erupts.
At first, the idea that the colleagues and friends could turn into dangerous monsters because of money will definitely keep you guessing. Whether it’s Dumars not sharing where he got the tip for the $20 million rip from, Ro disappearing many times while conversing through a burner phone, or Salazar subtly mentioning how even a little bit of the rip would and could change her life, you will try to figure out if someone’s going to run away with the money, and if so, who it may be.
While Damon and Affleck take the forefront during the rip, it’s a wonderful surprise to see Teyana Taylor getting a lot of screentime as well. Fresh from her Golden Globes win for One Battle After Another and possibly on her way to what would be a well-deserved Oscar, she adds the much-needed swagger, danger and female power to a script that would otherwise be two hours of machismo.
However, unfortunately, the movie doesn’t cash in (pun intended) on the immense talent, the emotions they could evoke and the tension that was present at the beginning. The characters and their inner turmoil, whether it’s them dealing with the death of Jackie or how to manage the immense loot, are secondary to the explosive entertainment and the high-octane action. Don’t expect to be deeply moved by what you see on screen or encounter in-depth explorations of feelings, because emotions are non-existent. The only hook the director uses to get us slightly emotionally invested in this movie is the question of where everyone’s loyalty lies. While he could have easily elevated the emotional level by using Jackie’s death or the death of Byrne’s son more, Carnahan clearly has left those touching subplots on the cutting room floor, resulting in an emotionally thin feature.
As a drama movie, this film leaves a lot to the imagination. While the filmmaker effectively lays the groundwork for corruption, doubt and emotions early on in the movie, the rest of the script feels too predictable and emotionally underwhelming. The plot twists are overly explained, the story is driven smoothly and steadily towards the finish line, and the script is as transparent as they come. Even the many attempts to deceive the clever audience aren’t able to cover up the anticipated outcome you saw coming miles away. However, as a pure action crime thriller, The Rip certainly fulfils its purpose. It delivers large-scale shootouts, explosive moments, and high-speed car chases, and the concluding pursuit provides even greater excitement. At the same time, the powerful acting stays on a high level throughout the 112-minute runtime. This Netflix original might not be original, but it’s definitely a fun crowd-pleaser.
The Rip is out now on Netflix
As a pure action crime thriller, The Rip certainly fulfils its purpose. It delivers large-scale shootouts, explosive moments, and high-speed car chases, and the concluding pursuit provides even greater excitement. At the same time, the powerful acting stays on a high level throughout the 112-minute runtime. This Netflix original might not be original, but it’s definitely a fun crowd-pleaser.
Freelancer by day. Film journalist by night.
