Posted by First kick started by the classic Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s acting chemistry and natural bonhomie is much written about. Ridley Scott’s 2021 historical drama The Last Duel seems to have sparked a latter day renaissance, with Amazon Prime’s Air following two years later and now the Netflix crime thriller The Rip.
Helmed by Joe Carnahan, the man who directed the retro Cop Shop, The Rip is a similarly tense, action packed thriller. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are policemen J.D. Byrne and Dane Dumars, who are as thick as thieves. They are members of a special drug police unit called TNT, who take down gangs and bust safe houses. Bent coppers, allegations of corruption and investigations abound, and when a tip off comes in for a bust worth a rather tasty $20M – the suspicions, double crossing and duplicity start to spiral. A macho action flick with a whiff of whodunnit to it.
This is a tense crime thriller with an old school feel that keeps you guessing till the end. It has a simple premise well executed, and you are not sure who to trust. The cast is decent if perfunctory, with Affleck and Damon the main attractions. Sashe Calle is worthwhile as the petrified and harassed homeowner caught up in this mess, but Teyana Taylor’s detective is underserved and a missed opportunity. It has plenty of adrenaline fueled action, but it does lose its way a bit in this regard – as car chases and shootouts drag on a bit during the film’s explosive end.
A meaty crime thriller with a simple but well laid out plot, good action scenes and some bankable stars – it is just a shame it is not on the big screen.
7.5/10
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