Since its premiere onNetflixon September 6,Rebel Ridgehas been at the top of the streamer’s charts, and for good reason. It’s an explosive thriller that blends sociopolitical commentary with enough tense drama and action that it’s certain to be regarded as a classic in the years to come, akin toRamboorWalking Tall. This gripping portrait of a Marine veteran dealing with small-town corruption could have been ripped from today’s headlines – which raises the question:IsRebel Ridgebased on a true story?
Sitting down to speak withNetflix’s TUDUMon the dayRebel Ridgepremiered, directorJeremy Saulnierexplainedhow much of his latest movie is based on real life. While some of the events depicted in the film are grounded in reality, such as the civil asset forfeiturethat Aaron Pierre’s character Terry Richmondexperiences at the start of the movie, theoverall plot forRebel Ridgeis not based on any one event in particular. Saulnier clarifies:
This film is not based on a particular incident, but elements of it could certainly happen. I’m interested in examining corrupt systems — not so much how they’re built, but how they persist.
Rebel Ridge
A former Marine confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin’s bail.
Saulnier achieves that in spades. With a cast that includes Don Johnson as the police chief of Sandy Springs,Rebel Ridgedoes a fantastic job of shining a light on how corruption can start small, and eventually seep its way into the system to continuously poison the very foundations that were put in place to guard against it, until it becomes the norm. As the audience, all we can do is sit back and watch and grow increasingly frustrated along with Pierre, which – Saulnier says – was his plan all along.
“For this movie, I wanted to tap into how the rest of us react to said [corrupt] systems. From corrupt politicians down to the endless loop of a customer service call gone wrong.”
Rebel Ridge Is Netflix’s Best Original Movie in Years
Ever since Netflix began producing original movies in 2015 with the release ofBeasts of No Nation, they’ve built an impressive catalog that spans a multitude of genres. That being said, it’s been a while since one of their original offeringshas generated as much buzz asRebel Ridge. There wasThe Ballad of Buster Scruggsin 2018,The Irishmanin 2019, andHis Housein 2020, which to this day is still certified fresh at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rebel Ridge Barely Got Made After a Chaotic Production
So much hype is going into the upcoming Netflix original, but things were pretty chaotic behind the scenes.
YetRebel Ridgehas clearly managed to tap into the cultural consciousness where others have failed, and that’s mostly due to the current climate that has gripped the nation as videos of police corruption and political missteps are shared regularly on social media, angering an already riled-up populace, thus paving the way for Saulnier’s story to strike a deep chord. Coupled with outstanding performances from Pierre, Johnson, and AnnaSophia Robb, and the ticking-clock plot,Rebel Ridgeis easilyNetflix’s best original movie in years, and hopefully just the start of things to come.
