In the opening scene of Rebel Ridge, ex-Marine Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) gets rammed off his bicycle by a cop car. He gets detained and frisked, and the police seize a large amount of cash in his backpack. As Terry argues, he is going to use it as bail money to spring his cousin behind bars before he gets transferred to a state penitentiary in a few days. But we’re told it’s all legal thanks to the practice of civil asset forfeiture. It’s honestly quite infuriating, and that is how writer/director Jeremy Saulnier immediately set up the stakes in his latest film, a slow-burn thriller that’s so well-executed and incredibly compelling while also subverting our expectations in the action-revenge genre.

Comparisons to the Rambo film First Blood are inevitable as both movies have a similar set-up – a veteran walks into a rural town and immediately gets tangled with corrupt authorities. But Saulnier’s smart script conveniently holds back the shootouts and bloodshed, opting instead to let things play out the legal way first. After getting brushed off at the courthouse, Terry proceeds to file a formal robbery complaint against the cops in their own station where Chief Burnne (Don Johnson) also tells him to leave. Terry makes the offer to just let him get the bail money of ten grand and they could keep the rest, but even then he gets screwed by Burnne, completely pleased with the fact that this outsider can’t really do anything about it. But that’s where they wrong.

Aaron Pierre is an action star in the making with his excellent performance as Terry Richmond. He stepped up to the task after John Boyega bowed out, and now I can’t imagine anyone else playing the role. Built like a tank, Pierre brings an imposing presence and intensity every time he’s on screen. But his best asset is his expressive eyes. As a former Marine, we can sense Terry silently calculating and planning his next steps as his frustrations build up over the course of the film. The thing is, however, Terry observes a strict adherence to his moral code. His non-lethal approach to the situations he finds himself in adds a unique layer to his character. But it also delivers an enjoyable tension to the story. How is our hero going to get out of trouble without even killing a single person?

That’s not to say there’s no action in Rebel Ridge. We learn that Terry sticks by his military discipline of de-escalation and disarming attackers. So while it takes some time before faces get punched in, every action sequence is given meaning when they do come, and Saulnier superbly choreographs each one. His steady camerawork gives a clear structured view of the mayhem, bringing us right into the heart of combat. He carefully raises the stakes in each scene and builds up the viewer’s anticipation for what’s about to come, so it’s so satisfying when Terry finally starts breaking bones and pummeling heads, even with a zero body count.

Terry finds an ally in a court clerk named Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), who’s conveniently used as an exposition vehicle for any legalese thrown at the audience. There’s an underlying theme of corruption and how the American legal system is used for oppressive injustice that Saulnier’s script explores in the second half. Along the way, Terry and Summer uncover a conspiracy by the cops and the judge after a legal settlement almost bankrupted their small town in Louisiana. Admittedly, this is where the film hits a snag as the plot becomes too convoluted for its own good. Luckily, we’re already too invested in Terry’s revenge mission by this point that it’s just a minor bump in the road.

Rebel Ridge is yet another successful addition to Saulnier’s already fantastic filmography. It’s impressive how the director of Blue Ruin and Green Room, two films filled with violent murder, manages to make a smart and visceral action thriller without a single death. It’s also a comforting reminder that genre pieces can be made with this level of craftmanship, and still end up being highly enjoyable. Now if only streaming services put more trust in auteurs instead of the “algorithm.”

Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.