Rebel Ridge, 2024.
Written and Directed by Jeremy Saulnier.
Starring Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Emory Cohen, David Denman, James Cromwell, Zsané Jhé, C.J. LeBlanc, Dana Lee, Steve Zissis, James Badge Dale, Leslie Nipkow, Brecken Ellis, Clayton Cooper, Jordan Thoma, and Caleb J. Thaggard.
SYNOPSIS:
An ex-Marine grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief.
Ex-Marine Terry Richmond (an indisputably transfixing turn from Aaron Pierre with a simmering, intimidating, remarkably imposing screen presence, who should have casting agents ringing his phone nonstop after this) just wants to post his cousin’s bail and leave this small rural town together, starting a new life. From the opening moments, writer/director Jeremy Saulnier’s Rebel Ridge thrusts Terry into a situation with corrupt local law enforcement that prohibits him from doing so at every turn, even though he consistently proves there is no wrongdoing with how he came up with the $10,000 and remains subservient to their power abuse in an unphased manner retaining dignity.
That first instance of harassment comes with police officers Evan Marston (David Denman) and Steve Lann (Emory Cohen) crashing into his bike from behind, asserting that it was their only choice because he wouldn’t pull over. Not that these cops had any justification or righteous suspicion for wanting to do so, but Terry simply couldn’t hear since he was blasting some Iron Maiden from his earphones.
Whether intentionally fitting or not, it feels like the announcement of a test for this character; how many times is he willing to get back up and keep fighting for his cousin when, even when he does comply, these officers are intent on ensuring that remains impossible while doing so by manipulating legal loopholes. The other question is how long this oppression will go before Terry reveals who he is to them and how dangerous he can be. He doesn’t want to go down that route and is even willing to make deals that are beneath him to avoid violence.
While they probably are racist (the script and uncomfortably real performances seem to give off that vibe without ever making it overt, which makes sense in theory as hateful cops likely do mask it to the best of their abilities while vehemently sticking to the narrative of working within reasonable doubt and the rules), the web of corruption stems from different rationales entirely. Nevertheless, we do have eyes and see a Black man fighting against a crooked system and injustice, which is an empowering, electric sight to behold. There is also a Black woman officer (Zsane Jhe) working comfortably on the side of the villains in the precinct, which is a dynamic that could have been explored more.
After encountering the equally nefarious police chief Sandy Burnne (a shady Don Johnson) who, again, doesn’t seem motivated by racism but more so refusing to let any civilian feel any semblance of control when confronting his crooked team, Terry decides to put on a show and reveal his jujitsu background. He also begins working with aspiring lawyer/Townhall worker Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb, convincingly headstrong and brave), a compassionate white woman who knows something isn’t adding up regarding the stolen money, arrests, and ninety-day detainment periods, expressing interest in digging further into the corruption while doing what she can to get his cousin free. With that said, some of her familiar tragic backstory could have been cut back.
Naturally, there is pushback against Terry and Summer, suggesting that even when a white person tries to do the right thing and make a difference in these corrupt systems, it doesn’t guarantee results, and they are potentially endangering themselves; all of it must be burned down for any change (there is an exhilarating line here about the necessity of burning down history that I can only assume the worst people you know will freak out about.) Still, one wishes characters at least acknowledged some of the racial dynamics at play; it gets to a point where one wonders if the film was written before Aaron Pierre was cast.
Between Terry and Summer digging up information, there isn’t just relentless suspense across this 130-minute running time but also a constant bleakness that continuously threatens that these characters still haven’t seen the worst of what’s to come. For a film that does feel occasionally long-winded, that’s an impressive atmospheric trick to pull off. Jeremy Saulnier certainly gets deep into the details of this scheme, for better and worse, but is also a gifted filmmaker who can retool clichéd blueprints into something thrilling with urgency and an unpredictable edge. Working with cinematographer David Gallego, he also knows how to capture the scale of this small town and the surrounding land (such as a striking overhead shot of a vehicle driving over a seemingly endless stretch of grass in a chase.)
Throughout Rebel Ridge, it’s not a question of when the film will erupt with violence but when Terry, the ticking time bomb he is, will resort to that. Aaron Pierre is effortlessly cool, refusing to show signs of dehumanization even when stuck in humiliating situations. He also has the IT factor that lends exhilarating catharsis to the climactic showdown, stunningly choreographed and involving everything from nonlethal weapons to martial arts takedowns, smoke grenades, and car chases. It may take a while to get to that payoff, but rest assured, it is glorious.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
