The Reel Review
When dirty cops in a small Louisiana town improperly take the cash that a former Marine was going to use to pay his cousin’s bail, he takes matters into his own hands to seek justice. And as he and a local public defender start investigating the relationship between the cops and a local judge, they discover that the corruption in this town is systemic. Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb star in this Netflix action/crime thriller.
Pierre (The Underground Railroad, Foe, Old) more than proves a suitable hero in this all-too-familiar crime thriller reminiscent of the first season of 2022’s Reacher. The action from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room, Hold the Dark) is taut and pulse-pounding, even if some of his storyline doesn’t always make total sense. Johnson makes a good villainous sheriff, with Robb as the public defender helping our hero while possessing a secret of her own.
Saulnier’s clever and sometime too-complicated screenplay keeps the story humming along, even when there isn’t as much action as an action movie usually has. What action there is, however, does feel authentic and real. The weakest part of the film is an uninspired ending that feels slapped together, but overall, Rebel Ridge is a fine effort worth two hours of your time.
REEL FACTS
• John Boyega who starred as Finn in the last three Star Wars sequels, was originally set to star in the film, but quit during the middle of filming in 2021, forcing producers to halt production, find a new lead actor and re-shoot his scenes.
• The movie and its setting bears a remarkable likeness to real life incidents in Sulphur, Louisiana, where local police have been known to seize personal assets and cash from motorists.
• Rebel Ridge was filmed on location in Leesville and Lacombe, Louisiana.
Video & Photo
