Film Review: ‘The Rip’ Puts Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in a Tension-Filled Joe Carnahan Thriller

Whenever Ben Affleck and Matt Damon work together, it’s fair to expect something a cut above. After all, since they’ve been established actors, their pairings have simply not missed. Air (which I raved about here), Dogma (among other Kevin Smith team ups), Good Will Hunting (which made them who they are today and won them Oscars), and The Last Duel (reviewed here) are top notch works. So, having them on board for The Rip sets expectations that this will be more than just another crime thriller. Luckily, that’s the case here, as they’ve made a film that is massively entertaining, showcasing that strong genre fare can still be done in this day and age. It’s almost a shame that this is debuting on Netflix, as it would play incredibly well with an audience in theaters.

The Rip has more going on than you might initially expect. The movie boasts strong chemistry amongst its cast, a legitimately tense plot, and satisfying twists. The flick is able to build and sustain tension, twisting the screws in a way that makes your pulse race, wondering who you can trust and who will get out alive. Considering how easy it would be to make this a run of the mill tale of potentially dirty cops, it’s very pleasing to see it play out differently.

In Miami, a group of detectives are part of a task force that seizes ill gotten cash, often from drug cartels. Their captain, Jackie Velez (Lina Esco), has just been murdered, and the powers that be not only seem to be less than interested in looking for who did it, but are implying that one of the task force may have done it. Jackie’s two senior cops are Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon), promoted to take her place, and Det Sergeant JD Byrne (Ben Affleck), who was passed over for the job, in part due to the open secret that they were in a relationship. Dane has been sent an anonymous tip for a huge stash of cash in a house out in Hialeah, so he and JD take the rest of their squad, consisting of Detective Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), Detective Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), and Detective Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno), out to the house after their shift. At first, it seems like a normal operation, though that soon changes, since instead of at most, a few hundred grand, there’s millions stashed away in the walls. The woman living in the home, Desi (Sasha Calle), claims ignorance, but also appears scared for her life. Something is very wrong.

As the situation gets tenser and tenser, trust between the team erodes. Does Dane want to steal the money? Did he or JD have something to do with Jackie’s death? The longer they’re in the house, the clearer it becomes that someone wants them to take a cut and leave. If they stay, their lives are in danger. The moral dilemma is exacerbated by the threats of violence, which has them questioning everything. I won’t say where things go, but it does manage to upend expectations, which is always a plus.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon lead an A-list cast, playing off of their career-long friendship well. Affleck and Damon have the most to do, which means the rest of the cast is a bit overqualified for their roles, but that just means parts that otherwise would have been fairly generic end up with some personality. That certainly applies to Catalina Sandino Moreno and Steven Yeun, but especially to Teyana Taylor, who makes her detective one you do wish you spent even more time with. The supporting cast also includes Scott Adkins, Nestor Carbonell, Kyle Chandler, and more, with everyone pulling their weight. It’s a showcase for Affleck and Damon, as expected, but they’re reliably strong.

Co-writer/director Joe Carnahan, working here with Michael McGrale, leans into the grittiness that he’s known for, just with a bigger cast than he’s ever been given. The results are strong, especially early on as the tension builds. There’s some third act silliness and increase in the action, which is from a more generic movie than we’re otherwise watching, but it ends very well. Does Carnahan re-invent the thriller wheel here with The Rip? No. Does he make one of his overall better films to date? Yes, yes he does.

The Rip is a very successful thriller that manages to fill two hours with about as much tension as a film can do. I found myself invested and along for the ride in a way that I did not expect. When it comes to a movie like this, that’s the mark of a job very well done. It hits Netflix in a few hours and will be an excellent way to spend part of this weekend. Enjoy.

SCORE: ★★★