As a connoisseur of slow-burn action films, I find myself utterly captivated by Jeremy Saulnier’s latest masterpiece, “Rebel Ridge“. The movie is a testament to Saulnier’s unique ability to create suspense and violence through a delicate balance of anticipation and restraint.
Jeremy Saulnier, renowned for movies like “Blue Ruin”, “Green Room”, and “Hold the Dark”, is currently recognized as the maestro of the gradually escalating action genre. Instead of immediately diving into brawls and gunfights, he prefers to let tension simmer, creating a sense of violence that feels intensely palpable because we’ve spent so much time visualizing impending chaos. In this respect, “Rebel Ridge”, now available on Netflix, could be his most compact and quintessential piece yet. The film primarily revolves around a man attempting to steer clear of violence, but the more he does so, the more our innate desire for conflict intensifies.
In the traditional vein of both westerns and crime dramas, the narrative unfolds around a newcomer named Terry Richmond (portrayed by Aaron Pierre), a former marine. We first encounter him zipping along a rural road on a bicycle, only for local law enforcement to forcefully halt his progress with their vehicle and apprehend him. Upon searching his backpack, they discover a substantial amount of money intended to secure the release of Terry’s cousin, who is currently detained for a minor drug offense. Complicating matters, this cousin was once a key witness in the trial of a notorious gang leader, with plans to be transferred to a state prison in just two days – a move that would prove fatal for him. Unwilling to stand by and let this happen, Terry sets out on a mission.
The situation is extremely frustrating. Terry hasn’t done anything wrong, yet he’s been mistreated, humiliated, and robbed – all supposedly within the law. It seems they’re using their nonchalant superior (Don Johnson) as a model for their behavior, smirking with certainty that Terry can’t fight back, even though he’s a massive man with arms as big as torpedoes.
In the role of an actor, Pierre’s most valuable trait might be his expressive eyes: Despite appearing to exhaust all possible options, we can perceive a sense of Terry contemplating, strategizing, and planning. The distinctive feature of Rebel Ridge is that our protagonist’s unique talents primarily revolve around disarming and neutralizing adversaries. It would be quite amusing yet implausible to label him a man of peace, but he constantly seeks to deescalate the situation, which generates an entertainingly unrelenting tension between the hardships he endures and his willingness to respond. We can anticipate that this character will eventually erupt, and that no one will emerge unscathed from these events.
In contrast to many action movies and thrillers that relegate their plot devices to the periphery once the story begins, the film “Rebel Ridge” appears to have been crafted with a specific purpose: to shed light on the issue of civil asset forfeiture in the United States. The character of Summer (played by AnnaSophia Robb), who is an aspiring lawyer and works for the county clerk, frequently explains the situation whenever it’s necessary for context. This strategy, for the most part, proves shrewd, as it enhances the mounting tension by reminding us that the police have such extensive powers. However, Summer also uncovers a larger conspiracy within the town, and this is where the film becomes a bit more complicated due to some dialogue getting bogged down in legal jargon. Fortunately, by this stage, we are so immersed in the central conflict that these instances of legalese become a minor inconvenience.
Saulnier effectively builds suspense throughout his work, and when chaos erupts, he skillfully orchestrates it. His smooth camera movements and deliberate edits gradually quicken, providing a thrilling adrenaline rush; he meticulously sets the scene to ensure we understand who’s where, allowing him greater creative freedom in depicting the interactions between characters. The build-up of tension in Rebel Ridge results in a deep engagement from viewers. Despite not being overly violent, the bone-cracking and fist-fighting scenes in this film are particularly gratifying. The movie successfully combines intelligence with raw emotion. If all streaming action series were crafted as thoughtfully as this one, it would be a delight for audiences everywhere.
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2024-09-06 20:56