AvoleenWrites

When was the last time you watched a movie or tv show that had you glued to your screen from start to finish? 

That made you not even think about picking up your phone. 

For me it was a few weeks ago when I watched The Rip on Netflix. I was so captivated by it that I watched it twice within the same week. 

If you are a fan of crime thrillers with powerful storylines, I suggest you add The Rip to your watchlist. 

What is The Rip About?

The Rip is a cop thriller inspired by true events, produced by Artists Equity — the production company founded by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Cast:

• Matt Damon
• Ben Affleck
• Teyana Taylor
• Sasha Calle
• Kyle Chandler
• Lina Esco
• Scott Adkins
• Steven Yeun

Set in Florida, the movie opens with the killing of Captain Jackie (Lina Esco) of the TNT (Tactical Narcotics Team). Her death is followed by the individual interrogations of her team as rumours spread stating that her murder was an inside job. 

Not long after the team, led by Lieutenant Dane (Matt Damon), receive a Crime Stopper tip about a cartel stash house in Hialeah. When they get to the house, the cash-sniffing dog helps them find buckets of cash which amounted to $20 million dollars. Protocol required that cash seizures had to be counted on site. 

But from the moment the cash is found – tension within the team begins to arise. Trust begins to erode. Motivations are questioned. Some actions by team members are not understood. On top of that, there’s a probability that they are now targets and their lives are on the line. 

Why The Rip is one of the best Netflix Thrillers Right Now

Before I can even get into my thoughts on the movie it’s important for me to mention that I am obsessed with action thriller movies and so they may be some bias. 

1. Minimal Romance

Despite being rated R, the movie does not contain explicit sexual scenes. This is a movie you can watch with your grandma – unless she is not a fan of any type of violence at all. The storyline was powerful enough to keep me engaged as a viewer. There were hints of romance but it wasn’t too much and it didn’t take away from the main story. 

2. Compelling Plot

The themes of grief, loyalty, friendship, temptation and trust were portrayed well throughout the movie. One of my favourite scenes in the entire movie was when Lieutenant Dane (Matt Damon), Detective J.D. (Ben Affleck), Detective Mike (Steven Yeun) and DEA Agent Matty (Kyle Chandler) were in the vehicle transporting the cash seizure. At this point suspicion was at an all-time high.

I could feel the tension from the comfort of my couch as the four guys exchanged suspicious looks with one another in the vehicle. That was a pivotal point in the movie that changed everything. 

The question at the heart of the scene: 

What do you do when you start to doubt your team members and your life is possibly at risk? That scene was a masterpiece!

3. The Background Score

I enjoyed the background music. It added to the intensity of the movie. A little fun fact, for my Canadian readers – the composer for the background score is a Canadian named Clinton Shorter.

What Could Have Been Better

Dark Cinematography

I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing but I found the lighting in the movie to be too dark at times. I feel like they could have switched things up a bit more. 

Extended Final Fight Scenes

The ending could have been a bit tighter. By the time the final fight scenes began, all of the major revelations had already occurred.  At that point, the stretched out fighting scenes didn’t serve a purpose for me.

Is the Rip Worth Watching?

Yes!

If you enjoy:

• Crime-thrillers
• High-stakes storylines
• Action thrillers
• Psychological tension
• Movies inspired by true events

Then I would say The Rip is worth watching. 

Final Rating: 8/10

The Rip is a compelling crime-thriller that explores themes of grief, friendship, trust and temptation.

If you watched it, what did you think of this movie?