Movies about dirty cops are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, and it’s always been a popular genre. They bring exciting moral dilemmas and delve into the darker aspects of human nature and power. With the current situation in my city regarding ICE and their reckless and dehumanizing Operation Metro Surge, these narratives resonate personally while still offering a way to escape reality.
The marketing around The RIP has been centered around Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s collaboration, marking their 15th time the longtime besties star in a movie together since Good Will Hunting three decades ago. They also serve as producers under their Artist Equity production company, with Joe Carnahan serving as the writer/director. The movie starts out with the murder of Miami-Dade Police Department captain Jackie Velez (Lina Esco) by two masked men wearing bulletproof vests. Her specialized units, the Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT), including Jackie’s second in command, Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Damon), are immediately under suspicion and interrogated by the FBI.
Dumars gets a tip about a house in Hialeah and decides to take his team along: Sergeant JD Byrne (Affleck) and three detectives: Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno). It’s pretty wild to find out that this story is based on real-life events, since in Florida, law enforcement can keep a hefty chunk of the cash and assets they seize. That’s where the term ‘the rip’ comes from, as they’re basically robbing criminals. It’s clearly a recipe for rampant corruption, especially when Dumars and co. stumble upon $20 million in drug cartel cash hidden inside large barrels in an attic.
Dumars has a tattoo on his hand that pretty much asks, ‘Are we the good guys?’ It’s a question that gets trickier as things unfold. The late homeowner’s granddaughter, Desi Molina (Sasha Calle), pretends she doesn’t know who owns the money or how much is there, but it’s obvious she’s hiding something. Dumars tells the team to count the cash right there as the tension rises… suddenly, trust issues start to surface when there’s a huge pile of cold, hard cash on the line.
The movie’s concept is definitely interesting, but Carnahan’s direction takes a while to gain traction. The first hour drags a bit since the team is stuck in the house counting cash, but just because there’s not much action doesn’t mean there’s no tension. The growing mistrust among the team hints that they might end up turning on each other to escape with the money, but luckily, the plot is not as simplistic. Carnahan starts throwing in twist after twist in the third act, especially when DEA Agent Matty Nix (Kyle Chandler) catches wind of what’s going on. The script isn’t devoid of clichés, but I appreciate that it kept me guessing throughout. I have to admit that I didn’t see that twist coming, although the big reveal inside the DEA’s armored truck feels a bit clunky.
Carnahan is known for his high-octane action thrillers such as Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team, and The Grey, and he finally delivers some thrilling shoot-outs and chase sequences in the last 20 minutes or so. While this thriller may not rank among the very best, it’s still quite well done overall. I believe having Damon and Affleck in the film works to its advantage since they both play longtime friends whose trust and loyalties are put to the test. Watching them together on screen, it’s increasingly clear that Damon is the more talented actor, as his performance feels much more natural compared to Affleck’s.
The supporting cast is terrific, especially the ever-so-talented Yeun, who I wish would land more significant roles. He portrays a conflicted character with questionable alliances, and Yeun nails the role perfectly. Newly crowned Golden Globe winner Taylor is always enjoyable to watch, although she is barely given much to do here, unlike her role in One Battle After Another. At least Carnahan doesn’t treat the female characters as mere accessories, and the conversation between Molina and Dumars is quite meaningful.
All in all, The Rip is definitely worth checking out and can make for a fun Netflix-and-Chill night. While Carnahan’s writing and direction aren’t always firing on all cylinders, it does hit the mark at times. This noir thriller fits the trend of January releases in that it’s enjoyable but ultimately somewhat forgettable.
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I enjoyed this one too even though Carnahan’s writing is a bit clunky, I pretty much figured out who’s really the bad guys once Kyle Chandler‘s character was introduced. It’s pretty cliche in other cop action thrillers. Lol! But the movie worked because of Damon and Affleck, I just wish they got to make their dream project, John Woo’s The Killer remake. I’m sure it would’ve been much much better than the remake that Woo made for Peacock.
What’s interesting about this script is that it was supposed to be the plot for Bad Boys 3. Carnahan was hired to write and directed that film back in the mid 2010s and he wanted to turn the Will Smith’s buddy cop into a more darker and serious story. But Will Smith and Jerry Bruckheimer wanted the keep the franchise as action/comedy and they fired him. Carnahan still got credited as one of the writers on that film.