Film Review: Rebel Ridge

Jeremy Saulnier has made a whole career out of exploring stories about people who find themselves in extreme situations and having to use their wits to get out of. From the titular Murder Party, to the reckless revenge scheme in Blue Ruin, to the characters being stuck in a neo-Nazi run music venue in Green Room, to the wolf expert going down a dark and violent rabbit hole in Hold The Dark, his films have often been defined by the extremities of human nature and how those extremes bounce off someone who is unprepared to face it. The results are usually not so fun, for the characters at least.

This continues with his latest film, Rebel Ridge, while also having a minor twist to this formula. Unlike his other films, the lead character here is more than competent in his skills. We follow Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), a former marine that is trying to bail out his cousin, who might face immediate danger if he were to be imprisoned. However, an encounter with a small town police force led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) results in his cash being unjustly confiscated via civil forfeiture. So, as conflict escalates between Terry and the police force, he works with a court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) to uncover conspiracy and corruption.

It’s hard not to make immediate comparisons to First Blood, the very first Rambo film, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does the plot have a striking resemblance, but Saulnier has mentioned it as among his big influences for this picture. The idea of a veteran getting harassed by the police to the point of creating a standoff between an entire force versus a one-man army – who also notably avoids killing anyone – is there, but Saulnier gives the story his own spin, from incorporating the corruption angle as well as ideas that are reflected by current events and the overall awareness of the tension between people of the Black community and the police as an institution.

While the setup is simple enough, the film is probably the sharpest script that Jeremy Saulnier has written, crafting really suspenseful sequences out of otherwise straightforward conversations and confrontations that might not even go into action, as well as exploring the bureaucracy and the paper work and the unwritten rules that often go into institutions like the police, and how they impact the way things are often run. The momentum builds and builds, and it’s all the more heightened by Saulnier’s editing and the artful use of his camera through his collaboration with cinematographer David Gallego.

Plus, you have an outstanding lead performance from Aaron Pierre, who delivers one hell of a star-making performance. He has great screen presence, he has a striking look, he carries himself very well in the action sequences, and despite his big, physical, tough guy aura, there’s an empathetic, soft-spoken quality to him that makes him an easy guy to root for. AnnaSophia Robb adds a strong element to the story, showcasing how people who try to work towards change within the system are often targeted. Don Johnson is as fantastic as always. And you have great supporting turns from folks like David Denman, Emory Cohen, Steve Zissis, Zsane Jhe, Dana Lee, and James Cromwell.

While Rebel Ridge might not be as brutal as something like Green Room, or as haunting as Hold The Dark, it fits neatly in Jeremy Saulnier’s stellar filmography as a thriller that features his usual grasp of tension, dark humor, and exceptional craftsmanship. It’s also a new kind of film for him, one that is arguably a bit more mainstream than his usual fare, while not sacrificing his idiosyncrasies as an artist and storyteller. It’s fearless in its politics and yet remarkable in its ability to remain as an entertaining genre film, the kind of film folks often say “they don’t make anymore.” I only wish that this would have been screened in theaters because there are definitely moments that I can see playing very well with a crowd. Ever since Blue Ruin, Saulnier has been one of my favorite filmmakers to emerge recently, and I think his streak continues, and his work is still ever evolving, which is very exciting, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

Rebel Ridge is now streaming on Netflix.

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