The Rip Review: Joe Carnahan has a lane, and he doesn’t pretend otherwise. If you’ve seen Narc, The Grey, Smokin’ Aces, or Copshop, you already know the vibe: sweaty tension, loud arguments, guns going off, and characters who look like they’ve been doing this job way too long.
The Rip fits right into that wheelhouse. And honestly? That’s not a complaint. I watched this expecting a tight, brutal Netflix action thriller, and that’s pretty much exactly what I got.
My Rating: 4.0/5
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | The Rip |
| Director | Joe Carnahan |
| Genre | Action, Crime, Thriller |
| Runtime | Approx. 1 hour 55 minutes |
| Release Platform | Netflix |
| Language | English |
| Main Cast | Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Kyle Chandler |
| Content Warning | Strong violence, profanity |
The Setup (Simple on Paper, Messy on Purpose)
The premise is clean and easy to sell. A group of Miami cops working undercover stumble onto a massive stash of cash during a bust. Millions. The kind of money that doesn’t just disappear quietly.
Once word gets out, everything starts cracking: trust, loyalty, friendships, and even basic judgment. And that’s where the movie lives. Not in some grand mystery box, but in that uncomfortable space where no one is quite sure who’s lying… or why.
What I liked right away is that The Rip movie doesn’t hold your hand. It throws you into the chaos early. The opening is fast, a little jumbled, and intentionally stressful. Scenes jump around. Questions get asked, but the answers don’t always come from the person you expect. It’s disorienting, but that’s kind of the point. These people don’t have clarity, so neither do we.
Damon and Affleck: Familiar, But Still Effective
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck working together already comes with built-in history. The movie knows this and leans into it without making it cute.
They play cops who look close on the surface but feel fundamentally off underneath. Every conversation between them feels like it’s carrying old baggage. They’re tired. They’re jaded. They’ve seen enough bad outcomes to stop believing this job ends well.
What works is how understated it is. No big speeches. No dramatic confrontations early on. Just little looks, clipped responses, and pauses that last a second too long. Carnahan lets their long real-world chemistry do most of the work.
The Dialogue Feels Lived-In (And That Matters)
This is one of those movies where the dialogue doesn’t feel written; it feels overheard.
It’s fast, blunt, occasionally funny, and sometimes downright mean. Not in a “clever screenplay” way, but in a people who’ve worked together for years and don’t bother being polite anymore way.
It actually reminded me a lot of David Mamet’s style. Characters don’t explain themselves. They assume shared history. If you miss something, that’s on you, and I appreciate that. It pulls you in instead of spoon-feeding you.
When the Guns Come Out, It Gets Real Loud
When the action finally erupts, it hits hard. The gunfights aren’t flashy or stylized. They’re aggressive, messy, and intense. The camera shakes just enough to make you feel the recoil without turning into incomprehensible chaos. Bullets tear through walls, cars, doors; nothing feels safe once things start popping off.
What I really liked is how the quiet moments feel just as tense. Sometimes more. The silence between characters, the way conversations suddenly stop, that uneasy calm does a lot of heavy lifting.
The Supporting Cast Adds Suspicion, Not Comfort
Steven Yeun is fascinating here. He plays the most junior member of the team, and you can feel how uncomfortable he is in every interaction. He follows rules. He watches everything. The silences around him are brutal and very effective.
Sasha Calle might be the most interesting wildcard. She’s tough, sharp, and clearly capable, but there’s something about her performance that keeps you guessing. Innocent? Complicit? A little of both? The movie wisely never answers that too cleanly.
Teyana Taylor and Catalina Sandino Moreno don’t get massive screen time, but they don’t need it. Their skepticism adds to the constant feeling that something is off, even when nothing is technically happening.
Where It Falls Short (And Why That’s Okay)
If I had one real issue, it’s character depth. Outside of Damon and Affleck, we don’t learn much about anyone’s life beyond the job. I wasn’t emotionally attached to most of them. I didn’t fear for specific characters; I just felt tension about the situation as a whole.
That’s a trade-off. The movie chooses intensity over intimacy. I don’t think it breaks the film, but it does keep it from being truly unforgettable.
Also Read: Netflix’s Seven Dials Review: A Cozy Agatha Christie Mystery That Plays It Safe
The Good & Bad In The Rip
| What Works | What Holds It Back |
|---|---|
| Intense, grounded action scenes | Limited character backstories |
| Sharp, natural-sounding dialogue | Choppy, chaotic opening |
| Strong Damon–Affleck dynamic | Some twists are easy to spot |
| Constant tension and mistrust | Emotional investment stays surface-level |
| Solid ensemble casting | Not especially rewatchable |
Final Verdict On The Rip
I had a lot of fun with The Rip. It’s tense, aggressive, and confident in what it’s trying to be. The story keeps you guessing just enough, the dialogue feels real, and the action hits hard when it needs to. It’s not a genre-defining classic, but it doesn’t pretend to be one either.
This is the kind of movie that grips you while it’s on, and then lets go cleanly once it’s over. Rating: 4 out of 5. If you’re in the mood for a gritty action thriller with strong performances and constant suspicion, this is an easy recommendation.
