The Big Picture
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Rebel Ridge
explores small-town corruption through a suspenseful and intense new narrative. - Thrilling action sequences and intense heat challenges during filming contribute to the movie’s authenticity.
- In this interview, Collider’s Steve Weintraub discusses the film with star Aaron Pierre’s and writer-director Jeremy Saulnier.
Watching a Jeremy Saulnier thriller is a unique experience. Each film offers an interesting yet differing take and viewpoint, all while chilling the audience to the bone. Blue Ruin explores revenge by way of a mysterious, unfurling plotline; Green Room is the best horror film about the Neo-Nazi punk rock scene ever made, ultimately curling back into subtle (hair-raising) satire, and Hold The Dark explores animalistic mythos and portrays Alaska as it’s never been seen on film before. In his new thriller Rebel Ridge, director Saulnier teams up with rising star Aaron Pierre (Foe, Mufasa: The Lion King) to explore themes of law and corruption sure to keep the audience in maddening, spell-binding suspense from beginning to end.
Rebel Ridge is set in the town of Shelby Springs. After Pierre’s level-headed Terry Richmond tries to post bail for his cousin, his savings are unjustly seized by corrupt local police Chief Sandy Burnne, played by Miami Vice‘s Don Johnson. With the help of court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), Terry unearths a widespread conspiracy within Shelby Springs and sets to get his money back by any means necessary.
From sprinting through pyrotechnics to politely asking for a twelfth take in the sweltering heat, Collider’s Steven Weintraub discusses all things Rebel Ridge with Saulnier and Pierre. You can watch the full conversation in the video above, or you can read the transcript below.
COLLIDER: Jeremy, an individual question for you — I need you to make more movies.
AARON PIERRE: I concur.
JEREMY SAULNIER: I concur.
That’s it. We can call it.
SAULNIER: Yeah, we’re working on it. [Laughs]
As a Director, Jeremy Saulnier Will Not Tap Out
“I will not let go. I bite down until we’re across the finish line.”
This is one of those projects you’ve been working on for a really long time. Did you ever think it wasn’t going to get to the finish line? It’s taken years.
SAULNIER: Yes, of course. But I won’t allow that to really take up space in my head. If there’s one superpower I have, it’s not official MMA back and forth, but, as a filmmaker, I do not tap. I will not let go. I bite down until we’re across the finish line. I do have to employ a sort of trickery on my brain. As time passed, and we finally shot this movie — the correct and only version of it that should ever exist — I hadn’t read the script front to back in a full calendar year. I had to preserve that energy. That was what I had to do. But once we got there, I would dig into the details and the scenes themselves and fall back in love with everything that I started with. It was a long journey. But again, I have nothing but gratitude for the path we took.
Aaron Pierre Kicks Ass Without Blinking
“I would do it an infinite amount of times over again.”
Aaron, there are scenes where you’re not blinking and kicking ass. How much is that studying or practicing not blinking? Because it’s a skill.
PIERRE: Dude, Terry Richmond as an individual, as a character, possesses these things that seem unobtainable. He’s so centered, he’s so grounded, he’s not only emotionally intelligent but physically intelligent with his martial arts experience and background. In regards to the physicality, Jeremy and the stunt team created this wonderful environment in a warehouse in New Orleans that had wrestling mats and boxing bags. We would train, we would spar. Of course, it’s impossible for me to ever reach the level of Terry Richmond, but we did everything we could within our power, within our physicalities, to get as close to an authentic version of Aaron portraying that. So to answer your question, it was very hard, it was very challenging — a lot of sweat, bruises, grazes [laughs] — but we had a great time, and I would do it an infinite amount of times over again. It has been one of the most fulfilling opportunities I’ve been gifted with today.
You did a great job with this. Jeremy, I am fascinated by the editing process. No matter what you put on the page, it changes in the editing room. How did this film change in the editing room in ways you didn’t expect going in?
SAULNIER: It was certainly a bigger production — my biggest by far. [It was a] privilege editing, going through every frame, and quality [controlling] everything. We had three cameras running. It was a big, big set. What I actually did was inject simplicity and intentionality into everything. I felt after this long journey it was my obligation to see it through. Not only make Aaron and his supporting cast look the best they can, but also our technicians, from the groundsman, the greensmen, and the camera operators. I’m a tech nerd on a film set; I wanted to do everyone justice. That was the main mission. I’ve told people, usually, at this point in the film’s release, I can’t bear to be near it. I’ve given everything I can to it. I have to let it go. I’ll call my agent and say, “I need a job now! This is gonna kill my career.” Years later, I fall in love with them again. But for Rebel Ridge, because I took such care to edit the film, this is the first time ever in my career that I absolutely loved the movie upon its release. It’s a joyous time for me, and I’m very proud.
‘Rebel Ridge’ Shot in 128-Degree Heat
What shot or sequence so far in your career has been the most challenging and why?
SAULNIER: Rebel Ridge was a tough shoot. It’s definitely hard to pick out one. We had a 128-degree heat index. Safety and Health were all over it. We had to shoot for 50 minutes, then take 10-minute breaks, and I’m sitting here asking for take 12! It was a big deal. You have to not be unkind — it’s always looking after the health of your cast and your crew — but the job is also to make sure you don’t leave without what you need, for everyone’s sake.
PIERRE: I think one of the most challenging sequences I’ve had to learn is the finale in Rebel Ridge. There were so many nuances and details and beats and objectives to hit, all within a fluid sequence in order to bring Jeremy’s wonderful vision to life. That’s probably, in regard to action and physicality, the most challenging thing I’ve ever had to do. It took me a long time to get it, but we got it, and that’s what we get to share with the world!
SAULNIER: That’s interesting. I would never call it easy, but that was among the simplest because it was all on him. [Laughs] I was behind the camera, “Do it again! Do it again!” Previs, the stunt team, we all weighed in and prepped that scene. But it’s not just him. It’s like, “Was the smoke right? Was all the background stuff? Did the thing blow up behind him?” I can only imagine what it’s like to be you in front of the camera for all that. So, bravo!
PIERRE: It was great.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Was Aaron Pierre’s Birthday Present
“He knew how important that opportunity and that moment was for me.”
Aaron, what was it like getting the phone call from Barry Jenkins asking you to play Mufasa?
PIERRE: Oh, man, it was wonderful. That’s big, bro, and he actually waited until my birthday to call me. He knew how important that opportunity and that moment was for me. He knows how much I love that movie and how much I wanted to bring it to life in this way. So, he waited until my birthday. I got the call, and I was overjoyed. We had a great time at D23. I don’t know if you were there, but it was great!
Rebel Ridge is now streaming on Netflix.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
