‘Rebel Ridge’ movie review: Jeremy Saulnier’s tense, slow-paced thriller packs a quiet punch

A scene from ‘Rebel Ridge’ | Photo credit: Netflix

For all the movies on Netflix’s growing ‘Rebel’ list, check out Jeremy Saulnier’s rebel ridge feels calmer than most. It’s an unexpected thriller that sneaks up on you, unleashes its tension, and gives you the perfect release. A24 is best known for making brutal, grounded thrillers like Green RoomSaulnier once again manages to surprise us, but this time his protagonist is not a helpless underdog, but an intelligent predator waiting for his time.

We meet Terry Richmond, played to great effect by Aaron Pierre. A former Marine specializing in mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu, Terry finds himself at the mercy of small-town Louisiana cops who don’t follow the law. What begins as a bicycle ride into town turns into a bureaucratic nightmare when Terry is wrongfully detained by two corrupt officers. They confiscate $36,000 from him – money meant to save his cousin – and leave him at the mercy of a broken system that crushes people as efficiently as it protects itself.

Soulier’s films often play the “wrong person in the wrong place” role, but this time, the person in question is not helpless. Terry is an example of controlled menace, a Jason Bourne type who is able to flip the script on his kidnappers. With the charisma of his firm gaze and velvety voice, Pierre embodies a calm that belies the storm raging inside. It’s thrilling to watch him switch between calm de-escalations and sudden (restrained) explosions of violence, each move carefully thought out, but most importantly, not fatal. The moment the police discover what the acronym “MCMAP” stands for, they have the satisfaction of knowing they’re in for more than they expected.

A scene from ‘Rebel Ridge’ | Photo credit: Netflix

As yet rebel ridge It’s not content to be just another action-packed spectacle. Much of the film’s tension-building is derived not from high-octane chases or clever disarmaments, but from the tension woven into the fabric of small-town corruption. Every obstacle Terry faces is wrapped in legal jargon and weaponized policy. The film methodically exposes how local law enforcement manipulates the justice system, how asset forfeiture – a legal loophole that allows police to seize property without due process – is weaponized against the vulnerable. Terry’s plight becomes a symbol of this systemic rot, a cynical illustration of a legal system where power is wielded arbitrarily.

In this way, the film finds an unexpected rhythm. This isn’t a title that relies on showy action sequences or gratuitous violence – there’s no awkward slow-motion gun ballet john wickSoulier builds suspense from the paperwork to the ticking clock of legal deadlines to the court system stacked against the protagonist. The sweaty, claustrophobic setting of rural Louisiana enhances the film’s pervasive sense of isolation, a theme Soulier likes to explore.

If you’re expecting a typical hero-villain confrontation, rebel ridge There’s a small surprise for you. Terry isn’t just making smart, self-preservation deals to avoid confrontation with a crooked police chief; his main battle is with the entrenched power structures that allow such abuse to thrive. The real horror isn’t the threat of police brutality (though there’s plenty of that), but the fact that the violence is merely a symptom of a larger, deep-rooted malady.

A scene from ‘Rebel Ridge’ | Photo credit: Netflix

What else is fresh rebel ridge It relies on its protagonist’s strengths without sacrificing the tension. He’s not a PTSD-ridden tramp or a punk rocker trapped in a neo-Nazi stronghold. He’s highly competent, almost superhumanly so. But that competence doesn’t lower the stakes because Saulnier has no interest in glorifying his martial prowess. Instead, it becomes a tool to expose deeper truths about the abuse of power. Terry may be able to disarm a room full of officers, but even with his skill, he’s still at the mercy of a system designed to stop him. He’s a scalpel against a tank — deadly in his own right but fighting a battle that’s been rigged from the start.

Pierre’s performance is captivating, full of emotional depth. Terry is a man who thrives in the shadows, whose every gesture conveys a world of latent danger and Pierre portrays this brilliantly. It’s easy to see why people like Barry Jenkins – who first cast Pierre underground Railroad – People are drawn to their special intensity.

Ultimately, rebel ridge It’s a tense, cerebral thriller that forces you to watch it, so you don’t mistake it for a casual, ambient dinner-time watch. It completely engages the mind, while also ratcheting up the tension, offering the kind of intelligent, finely crafted suspense that’s been all too rare for Netflix lately.

Rebel Ridge is currently available to stream on Netflix