If you were waiting for the first essential streaming event of the new year, your patience has just been rewarded. Following its highly anticipated premiere on January 16, The Rip Netflix review buzz has been electric, signaling that Hollywood’s favorite duo is back in top form. Directed by Joe Carnahan, this gritty crime drama reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as corrupt Miami cops in a high-stakes pressure cooker that feels like a spiritual successor to Narc. While the film delivers the intense, testosterone-fueled action fans expect, it’s the simmering moral ambiguity and a polarizing final act that cements it as the best Netflix crime thriller of 2026 so far.
A Masterclass in Tension: Joe Carnahan’s Direction
It has been years since we’ve seen Joe Carnahan operate with this level of precision. In this Joe Carnahan The Rip review, it is crucial to note how the director strips away the glossy sheen of modern blockbusters to deliver something raw and visceral. The film takes place largely in a single location—a derelict stash house in Hialeah—turning what starts as a routine seizure of $20 million in cartel cash into a claustrophobic nightmare.
The cinematography captures the humid, neon-lit dread of a Miami night, but the real special effect is the chemistry between the leads. This Ben Affleck Matt Damon 2026 movie leverages their real-life history to create a shorthand on screen that feels lived-in and authentic. Affleck plays Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne with a volatile, chain-smoking edge, while Damon’s Lieutenant Dane Dumars anchors the film with a weary, grief-stricken gravitas that reminds us why he is one of the best actors of his generation.
The Cast and Score: An Ensemble Firing on All Cylinders
While the marketing focuses on the headliners, the The Rip movie cast and score deserve equal praise for elevating the material. Steven Yeun is a standout as Detective Mike Ro, bringing a quiet, unnerving energy that hints at the chaos to come. Teyana Taylor and Catalina Sandino Moreno also shine as fellow officers caught in the crossfire, grounding the squad’s dynamic in reality. The tension is amplified by Clinton Shorter’s pulsing, industrial score, which mirrors the escalating heartbeat of a team realizing they might not make it until morning.
Critics have noted that the The Rip Rotten Tomatoes rating—currently sitting fresh at 82%—reflects this strong ensemble work. Even when the script leans into genre tropes, the performances keep the stakes feeling dangerously real.
The Rip Movie Ending Explained: A Nihilistic Turn
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
The most discussed aspect of the film is undoubtedly its conclusion. For those searching for The Rip movie ending explained, the finale delivers a gut-punch that subverts the typical buddy-cop redemption arc. Throughout the night, paranoia festers as it becomes clear that the threat isn’t just the cartel—it’s the corruption rotting the unit from the inside.
The twist reveals that the betrayal runs deeper than expected, with fellow officers Mike Ro (Yeun) and Matty Nix (Kyle Chandler) exposed as the architects behind the captain's murder that kicked off the plot. The final confrontation is messy, brutal, and devoid of glory. Unlike the triumphant exits of The Town or Ocean’s Eleven, the survivors are left with nothing but their lives and the haunting realization of their own complicity. This bleak, nihilistic ending has divided audiences, but it aligns perfectly with Carnahan’s vision of a world where no deed goes unpunished.
Verdict: Is It Worth the Watch?
Absolutely. despite some criticism regarding its bleak worldview, The Rip is a taut, muscular thriller that respects the audience’s intelligence. It doesn’t rely on CGI spectacles but on the volatile combustion of desperate characters trapped in a room together. As the first major release of the year, it sets a high bar.
If you enjoy throwback police procedurals with modern sensibilities and powerhouse acting, this is your weekend watch. It proves that even in 2026, the Affleck-Damon partnership remains one of the most compelling forces in Hollywood.
