Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen, Steve Missis, James Cromwell
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 131 mins

Rebel Ridge is a crime thriller by Jeremy Saulnier, his first film in six years after Hold The Dark. Saulnier has proved quite the accomplished director, with Blue Ruin, Green Room and Hold The Dark all suitably atmospheric and gritty. Of his four films to date, Green Room is undoubtedly the one that’s attracted the most acclaim, a visceral and raw thriller about a punk band who get themselves tangled with a bunch of neo-Nazi skinheads. Although critics liked Hold The Dark, audiences seemed to find it more challenging but I thought it was brimming in atmosphere and it has a particularly sensational midway shootout sequence. 

Another revenge thriller, Rebel Ridge opens with Marine veteran Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) cycling into the town of Shelby Springs to post bail for his jailed cousin. He’s intentionally rammed by two police officers, who seize his $36,000 in cash via civil forfeiture. But the corrupt police force, led by the charismatic Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) don’t know who they’re messing with when Terry turns up at the police station to report the cash as stolen. 

Rebel Ridge is a gripping thriller with a deliciously mean streak about it, even if it’s slightly overlong and peaks in its first act. Despite its early peak, I still had a grin on my face throughout though. Straight from the off, the film grips with the casual horror of how the police lay the law down and how we can relate to Terry, who was simply minding his own businesses before the police officers pick on him. Saulnier has plenty to say on police corruption and there’s some terrific chase sequences, with crunchy violence, echoing late ’80s action films and the classic Westerns before them.

Aaron Pierre is brilliant as the calm but righteous Terry, a role that was originally destined for John Boyega. He’s also going to be starring in the upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King, so I suspect he has a strong career incoming. As you’d expect, Don Johnson is great as the deliciously crooked police chief – he could play this role in his sleep, and AnnaSophia Robb also impresses in what’s arguably her highest-profile role outside of her childhood career.

Elsewhere, there’s a pulse-raising score from Brooke and Will Blair and the film’s slickly shot by David Gallego, who does a particularly excellent job at establishing the town’s geography. It’s just a shame that such a tightly crafted action thriller has been consigned to Netflix – Rebel Ridge is a lot better than many action thrillers that get theatrical releases and this one deserves to do well.