REVIEW: “The Rip” is a solid crime thriller

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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck play Miami police officers in The Rip, a new Netflix drama that will likely leave audiences guessing until the third act. Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Grey), the feature focuses on one eventful night for a crew of police officers. Each of the member’s loyalties are tested when a mysterious message leads them to a larger-than-expected cache of money.

Damon stars as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, the crew’s leader. After an anonymous tip, Dumars brings the team to a safe house. At the safe house, they find Desiree 'Desi' Lopez Molina (Sashe Calle), an occupant who insists on her innocence, and twenty million dollars. What begins as a normal raid turns into something far more suspicious when Dumars diverts from traditional protocol during the bust.

Before the raid even occurs though, there’s growing suspicion among the crew as their former Captain (Lina Esco) was recently murdered by an unknown assailant. Composed of Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck), Detective Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), Detective Mike Ro (Steven Yeun) and Detective Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno), the crew seemingly get along but know that one of them might’ve led to their former Captain’s death.

Written by Carnahan and Michael McGrale, the story is inspired by a true story but tells its own unique tale of a crew that begins to fall apart when their leader acts erratically during an anxiety-filled evening. This isn’t a typical action film that relies on set pieces. Instead, much of the tension arises during different conversations as the characters question the loyalty of their comrades.   

The script is well-constructed and there’s a tautness in many of the scenes as Dumars begins acting erratically. While Damon and Affleck are well-known for their offscreen chemistry, it’s exciting to see them diverge during the plot here as the two main characters face off against each other and question one another. Carnahan plays that dynamic well, which will likely lead viewers to question each of their motives.

While those characters and Steven Yeun’s Mike Ro are highlighted, it does often seem that  supporting characters like Baptiste and Salazer aren’t given enough material to truly stand out here. Their characters are secondary players here and aren’t given the screen time needed to stand out. 

Director Joe Carnahan does a notable job keeping the tension high throughout the film’s 113-minute running time. There are a few strong action scenes but the feature works best when it’s focused on the characters and the mysteries at the story’s heart.

As the story unfolds, more details about the characters’ backstories are revealed, deepening the mystery. When one character asks, “What do you have to lose after you’ve lost everything,” it’s obvious that certain characters have more motivations than others.  Fortunately, the third act does a satisfying job offering a number of twists and more details about each of the characters' motivations.

Despite its flaws and a few characters who aren't given much to do, The Rip is a solid thriller with a satisfying mystery at its core.