Written by: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen
Rating: [4/5]
Small-town police forces usually do not have the resources urban centers have for obvious tax collection reasons, which means they need to find ways to make up the difference. While one would hope they would utilize noble ways to fill in their budget, Rebel Ridge exemplifies that some outright corruption goes a long way in filling the coffers. Unfortunately for this police force they messed with the wrong person as this feature brings a gnarly and entertaining ride as one guy takes on an establishment.
On his way to bail out his cousin, Terry Richmond (Arron Pierre) has a skirmish with the police that has his cash confiscated. Running out of time before his cousin gets sent to prison where certain death awaits him, Terry tries to work through the system but consistently gets met with violent resistance from the police force led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson).
Very much representing what it would look like if Walking Tall was, in fact, good Rebel Ridge brings a former Marine into a situation that would fend off most individuals but his particular set of skills he can wreak some havoc. It all begins with an open act of corruption by the police when Terry gets abrasively pulled over, rigorously questioned, and has his assets seized pending an investigation. You can tell this is not the first time these cops have done this and usually the victim will just leave to not cause trouble. However, they picked the wrong person to screw over and this path of vengeance powers the rest of this film.
A major point this film displays through its narrative is the failure of the legal system and how easily it can disenfranchise those in power wish to punish. Terry experiences this when trying to post bail for his cousin and no one really gives any grace in this process. The police obviously have no incentive to assist given their blatant corruption but the fact the legal clerk does not even seem to care either. At first, it looks like sheer laziness but the more we peel back the layers of the corruption happening in this town the more the behaviors all make sense. Therefore, when Terry decides to utilize his particular set of skills to get things done his way outside the system, it becomes more than acceptable.
Seeing one man essentially take on an entire police force with nothing more than his wit and physical strength puts Terry at a disadvantage given the obvious advantage the cops have of numbers, equipment, and artillery at their disposal. The ways Terry manages to put up a fight perhaps borders on fantastical but the threat he poses to this police force, fueled by the love for his cousin, especially with the information he later learns makes for an intriguing matchup specifically with Chief Sandy Burnne.
Don Johnson has this general charisma to him that allows him to succeed in any role he takes on and he manages to instill it within Chief Sandy Burnne. A man who wants no issues but will surely act upon any threats to his department with no hesitation. The dynamic between him and Aaron Pierre comes with a mix of respect and hatred as the film progresses as he hates that Terry will simply not just go away. Business is good, but the fact his officers messed with the wrong person has now created such a headache that he must navigate carefully. Burnne has all the advantages and seemingly cannot escape from Terry’s vengeance.
As much as Johnson puts in a strong performance, this all belongs to Aaron Pierre. He’s a relative newcomer onto the film scene but in this role he demonstrates he has the goods to lead films of this caliber. He definitely has the physique demanded for a role like this one but he manages to also bring this presence to him. It appears as a mix of smoulder in addition to a seriousness in his demeanor that makes him captivating throughout. Normally his distinct lack of any sort of levity would hinder a film but he very much matches what this film requires and he delivers. One other casting surprise for me came in seeing Emory Cohen as Officer Steve Lann. I did not notice it was him until the credits rolled and he did a great job as this easily hateable officer. He looks nothing like his charming self in my beloved Brooklyn but I’m glad he’s still out here putting in good performances.
While continuing to go down the rabbit hole of corruption and outright police brutality, Rebel Ridge provides loads of tension in its story and delivers a vastly entertaining experience. We get the cartoonishly evil cops but also a strong leading performance by Aaron Pierre, who will only continue to grow in this industry as he has a special “it” factor to him that will take him far. Jeremy Saulnier delivers yet another banger after exploding onto the scene with Green Room showing this guy has the directorial goods.
Films with Josh 
