Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Rebel Ridge.
Jeremy Saulnier has certainly established himself as one of the best genre filmmakers of his generation, as his low-budget revenge thriller Blue Ruin and his claustrophobic horror film Green Room are easily among the most shocking cinematic experiences of the past decade. Saulnier briefly took a break from features to direct two episodes of the third season of HBO’s acclaimed crime drama True Detective, but his latest film for Netflix, Rebel Ridge, is another exhilarating thrill ride with no shortage of jaw-dropping moments. Although it ranks among his longest films thus far, Rebel Ridge features a climactic end sequence that flips the genre on its head.
Rebel Ridge stars Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond, a former marine who becomes locked in a deadly feud with the corrupt local police department in the town of Shelby Springs. Although the notion of a former veteran becoming a vigilante against justice has drawn comparisons with classic action thrillers like First Blood and Rolling Thunder, Rebel Ridge is also a timely work of social commentary that has a lot to say about the state of race relations in America today. The implications made about the criminal justice system at the end of Rebel Ridge ensure that the film will start some serious discussion.
What Is ‘Rebel Ridge’ About?
Rebel Ridge opens with Terry’s $36,000 in cash being seized by corrupt Shelby Spring cops Evan Marston (David Denman) and Steve Lann (Emory Cohen), who falsely claim that he is involved in a drug smuggling operation. Terry had been earnestly trying to bring the money to town so that he could pay the bail of his cousin, Mike Simmons, and help him with returning to making an honest living. Unfortunately, the police are unwilling to turn over the $36,000, forcing Terry to report the conspiracy to the local station. Although both the police chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) and officer Jessica Simms (Zsané Jhe) refuse to help him, Sandy Springs courthouse employee Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) promises that she can help Terry regain the minimum $10,000 he needs to post his cousin’s bail.
After Terry tries to get the remaining funds from his business partner, Mr. Liu (Dana Lee), he once again tries his luck with the police, resulting in a heated exchange with Burnne that temporarily puts him behind bars. Terry is able to get out with Summer’s assistance, but unfortunately, Mike is stabbed in prison moments after being processed in retaliation for informing on a gangster, and later dies from his injuries in the hospital. Enraged, Terry decides to finally become the hero that the town needs and expose Burnne’s actions. However, he remains in the dark as to how deep the corruption goes; Summer is attacked in her home and drugged by the cops for helping Terry, but fears going to the hospital because a urine test indicating drug use could impact her ability to regain custody of her child. After another close call with Lann, Terry and Summer interrogate a local judge (James Cromwell) and learn that the police are involved in a coverup scheme in the wake of a legal settlement that nearly bankrupted the town of Sandy Springs, and are in desperate need of cash to pay off their lingering debt.
Does Aaron Pierre Get Revenge in ‘Rebel Ridge’?
Terry and Summer are able to infiltrate the courthouse and collect evidence regarding the conspiracy on a series of SD cards. Although Terry escapes after the police start a fire, Summer is kidnapped by the cops after being discovered in the building. Terry forms a tense agreement with Lann to exchange the evidence for Summer’s life, but decides to storm the police station after threatening Burnne over the phone. Lann betrays their deal by destroying the SD cards and revealing that Summer is at risk of death as a result of being injected with more drugs. Marston protests the situation but is shot in the leg by Burnne, who suggests to the other officers that they pin his death on Terry. However, Terry manages to incapacitate several cops, including Lann, in a brutal fight as a result of his training at the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, and flees the scene in a police car with Marston and Summer, driving toward the hospital.
Terry learns from Marston that activating the police siren will cause the dashcam to start recording, allowing him to collect the necessary evidence needed to prosecute Burnne and the other conspirators. After Terry escapes from the station with Marston and Summer, their lives are saved by Sims, who runs Burnne off the road using a PIT maneuver — and in a surprise twist, the other police officers then personally escort Terry to the hospital, implying that Burnne was the main authority behind the coverup. Marston and Summer are taken away to have their injuries attended to, and Terry successfully receives the dashcam, which includes footage of Burnne shooting Marston, and waits in the hallway. While it is suggested that Terry will attempt to bring the new evidence to light, Saulnier ends the film on an ambiguous note as to whether or not justice will actually be enacted.
Is ‘Rebel Ridge’ Based on a True Story?
While it is not directly based on a true story, Rebel Ridge is inspired by real loopholes in the justice system that allow for the seizure of cash suspected of being involved in drug deals. Saulnier stated that the idea that the system would allow “law enforcement to seize property from ordinary citizens without any proof of criminal activity” inspired him to craft a realistic thriller that could theoretically happen under the current legal proceedings. Given that Terry is specifically targeted by the cops and harassed because of his race, Rebel Ridge is an even more timely insight into the way that justice actually works in America.
The ambiguous ending of Rebel Ridge reflects the real way that criminal justice works, as there is certainly no guarantee that any attempts that Terry makes to expose the truth will end up resulting in any real consequences for the police involved in the conspiracy. The thought that men like Burnne would be able to continue performing their duties after being involved in such a horrific incident is certainly a tough pill to swallow, but that certainly doesn’t stop Rebel Ridge from being a terrific revenge thriller that easily ranks among 2024’s best action films.
Rebel Ridge is streaming on Netflix.
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