The Rip Review: Star-Studded, Enjoyable for Action Fans

BOTTOM LINE
Star-Studded, Enjoyable for Action Fans

PLATFORM
Netflix

RUNTIME
1 hours 53 minutes

What Is the Film About?

In Joe Carnahan’s gritty crime thriller The Rip, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reunite as Miami narcotics detectives Dane Dumars and J.D. Byrne. Following the murder of their captain, the unit is placed under federal scrutiny. Amid the tension, Dumars leads his team on a late-day raid of a suburban home based on a mysterious tip.

What was expected to be a routine seizure turns into a moral crossroads when the team discovers $20 million in cartel cash hidden in the stash house. As the officers are forced by protocol to stay and count the money, greed and paranoia take hold. The situation escalates into a violent standoff involving the cartel and internal betrayals.

Performances

First and foremost, we would like to thank Ben Affleck for finally stepping out of the shadow of his co-stars. The last time he looked that good was in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. That Zack Snyder movie was a hot, steaming mess, but Affleck largely carried it on his talented shoulders by delivering a hard-hitting, jaded, world-weary, realistic, rugged, and brutal live-action take on the Caped Crusader.

Over the last 8–10 years, Affleck has mostly played supporting roles or characters that functioned as narrative devices rather than being crucial to the films themselves. Right from his very first appearance here, he grabs our attention and never lets it go until the end. His portrayal of a hard-ass, hot-headed, blunt, no-BS, slightly cocky, and bullying detective is one of the best things to watch in this latest Netflix action-thriller flick. Yet his character also showcases a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. He never strays from the path of righteousness, morality, and justice.

Plus, Affleck’s long-standing real-life friendship and creative collaboration clearly benefit his on-screen chemistry with Matt Damon, who plays Dumars.

Speaking of Damon, he appears methodical, calm, and exhausted. Beneath his cool, strategic persona, we also witness shades of a broken soul, shaped by the tragic loss of his son, a failed marriage, and the mental toll of the immense medical debt incurred for his son’s treatment, which ultimately didn’t work.

Analysis

If you are seeking the cinematic equivalent of an espresso shot mixed with a hit of adrenaline, Joe Carnahan’s The Rip should be your latest OTT obsession right now. We have witnessed countless “cops gone rogue or crooked” storylines, so this Damon and Affleck starrer doesn’t break any new ground in that department. But under the hood, it’s a sleek, modern machine that knows exactly when to floor the gas.

Carnahan doesn’t waste our time and gets straight to business from the very first frame. Within the first 10 minutes, the stakes skyrocket, dragging detectives Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) and J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck) into a suburban house that turns out to be a literal gold mine.

The brilliance of the setup isn’t just the $20 million hidden in the attic. It’s the psychological pressure cooker that follows. Carnahan treats the house like a character in itself, trapping our heroes in a moral maze where the exit is blocked by greed, cartel threats, and the ghosts of their murdered captain.

One of the best things about The Rip is that it’s well-paced. It doesn’t drop our jaws in complete shock or awe, but it’s good enough to keep our buttocks on the edge of our seats, sofa, bed, or wherever you like to sit, folks!

The narrative structure is clever, too. It plays with our perspective by focusing on the mundane, sweaty reality of “counting the money”. By grounding the high-stakes crime in the tedious, claustrophobic atmosphere of that house, the film makes the sudden bursts of violence feel earned rather than gratuitous.

Behind the lens, Carnahan delivers arguably the best directorial outing of his entire career. The man brings a gritty, raw, and kinetic energy that aligns perfectly with the story and the film as a whole. His direction is confident, favouring tight close-ups that capture every bead of sweat and flicker of doubt on the actors’ faces.

The dialogue is snappy and carries that special “Affleck-Damon” chemistry we’ve missed. It’s conversational, occasionally funny, and feels like it was written by people who actually know how to talk trash over a beer. Even when the plot veers into familiar territory, the banter keeps the momentum high and the characters feeling like living, breathing human beings rather than action-movie tropes.

Of course, no film is without its speed bumps. One of the primary highlights is undoubtedly the supporting cast. Steven Yeun and Sasha Calle provide a much-needed emotional anchor that elevates the film above your average Netflix original. However, a notable drawback is the “testosterone-heavy” middle act, where the female characters are sidelined just as things get interesting.

The third act of The Rip is where Carnahan stops playing nice and flips the table, turning a claustrophobic standoff into a high-stakes gauntlet. The setting shifts from the stagnant, airless tension of the suburban house to the neon-soaked, chaotic streets of Miami. Up until this point, we’ve been trapped in a room with $20 million and a lot of ego. Once the doors blow open, the film transforms into a pulse-pounding race against time.

The final big revelation is handled pretty well, though many of you will see it coming from a mile away. Just as we begin to think Dumars has finally lost his moral compass to greed, the script pulls the rug out. Moreover, the setting of that scene, inside the armoured vehicle, with rhythmic use of light, haunting sound design, and a more impactful reliance on silence than words, is the film’s chef’s-kiss moment.

Then there’s the car chase. Carnahan has always had a knack for automotive mayhem, but this sequence feels particularly visceral. It’s not just about speed. It’s about the weight of the vehicles and the desperation of the drivers. The sound design here is top-tier. You can practically feel the vehicles grinding. Running parallel to this is a hand-to-hand combat sequence in muddy waters. The use of dark, muddy cinematography and shaky cam works effectively here.

Is The Rip a crowd-pleaser? Absolutely. But it doesn’t exactly rip up the rulebook. Despite all its highlights, the film feels like a high-budget remix of every great “dirty cop” thriller from the last two decades.

One of the more glaring drawbacks is how it treats its supporting cast, particularly the female characters. While Calle, Taylor, and Moreno are magnetic on screen, they are largely sidelined in the second half to make room for the Damon-Affleck bromance and hyper-testosterone-fuelled action and car chases.

There are also moments of over-explanation, where the film uses flashbacks to recap events from just twenty minutes earlier, almost as if it’s worried you’ve been scrolling through your phone during the quieter moments (We are not taking a dig at Damon or Netflix here, if you know you know). It’s a solid B-movie with an A-list coat of paint, but it’s definitely more about the ride than the destination.

The Rip might not break the mould for high-stakes cop thrillers, but it delivers the goods. With Joe Carnahan at the helm, you get exactly what you came for: suffocating tension, slick car chases, and plenty of gunfire. It’s a cut above standard streaming fare, and it is a convincing, high-octane, and total blast to watch.

Performances by Others Actors

Steven Yeun, as in most of his previous work, seamlessly brings his signature “nice guy” energy to the screen, using that honest face to keep us guessing, while Kyle Chandler leans into his classic, folksy charm, only to eventually turn into one sick and greedy SOB.

To be honest, we believe it’s time to lodge some sort of official complaint or notice to protect Yeun’s face. Why does everyone want to damage his face? The man’s handsome! Let him go cleanly!

The Rip makes it quite clear that it’s a testosterone-fuelled ride, which is why the leading ladies vanish into thin air for a good chunk of the runtime, particularly in the film’s second half.

Considering the female talent the makers had, such as Sasha Calle (The Flash), Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Ballerina), these actresses deserved far meatier roles than they got. Still, they make every second count.

Calle particularly stands out among the female cast, balancing a “don’t trust the police” grittiness with the haunting realisation that she’s in way too deep. Taylor comes in hot from One Battle After Another and seems to carry over many traits from her character in the Paul Thomas Anderson film. She remains bold and steady, retaining much of OBAA’s “bitchy” vibe, yet also manages to stay calmer than the rest of the cast, which works well.

Action veteran Scott Adkins trades in his usual high-flying kicks for a more grounded, dramatic turn. Playing against type, Adkins portrays Del Byrne, an FBI agent and the younger brother of Ben Affleck’s J.D. Byrne. Instead of leaning into familiar martial-arts territory, Adkins brings an intense physical presence to his interrogation scenes, proving he can command the screen with dialogue just as well as he can with his fists. Yes, peeps! The man can act!

Music and Other Departments?

The music by Clinton Shorter (District 9) works well and maintains a high-stakes feel and sense of pressure throughout the entire runtime. Shorter’s score feels industrial, metallic, and deeply percussive. It uses a “booming” technique, those low, vibrating bass notes that make your chest rattle, to mirror the heartbeat of a character whose life is about to unravel.

The sound design also works quite well, particularly during the first half inside the stash house and in the armoured vehicle sequence, reinforcing the film’s high-tension atmosphere.

Pacing-wise, the film looks solid, as it doesn’t waste much time on dialogue-heavy scenes and keeps the camera moving, reinforcing the overall frantic nature of the story.

The Rip also uses a kinetic, rushed, handheld editing style during its action sequences that mimics the chaos of a real-world shootout and fights. While some might find it a bit dizzying, it effectively avoids the “pretty” choreography of superhero movies or arthouse cinema in favour of something that feels dangerous, real, and messy.

Highlights?

Powerhouse performances from Affleck and Damon

Elite on-screen chemistry between Affleck and Damon

Gripping direction

Good action sequences

Effective use of music

Well-paced

Strong supporting cast

Drawbacks?

Lack of originality

Underutilised female cast

Predictable revelation

Over-explanation

Did I Enjoy It?

Yup! The electric chemistry between Damon and Affleck, paired with Carnahan’s relentless “pressure cooker” direction, makes for an incredibly satisfying adrenaline rush.

Will You Recommend It?

Highly recommended to anyone craving a slick, high-octane thriller, though you should be prepared for a familiar “dirty cop” story that prioritses star power and grit over reinventing the genre.

See how M9 Reviews operate

The Rip Movie Review by M9