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A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.
Well, I wasn’t expecting this at all but as we stand here this weekend since The RIP has debuted on Netflix, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have delivered the first real kick ass actioner of 2026 before Jason Statham has gotten his chance at the end of the month with Shelter. Gritty, stylish, retro in its execution, this latest Netflix blockbuster is an unflinching cop drama in the vein of a Michale Mann joint with filmmaker Joe Carnahan once again showing us why he is one of the most underrated directors, writers and producers of our time. Throw in two of Hollywood’s biggest stars in Affleck and Dammon and this is an unapologetic crime thriller that masquerades as a taut and feverish whodunnit punctuated with visceral, chaotic and bloody beats of action. It’s been several years since this dynamic duo has been together onscreen and here, they prove that they are one of the strongest movie making tandems that Tinsel Town has to offer, past, present and future.
Joe Carnahan has delivered some real bangers back in the day and a few misses but now he is back and this is one hell of a thriller that even with its flaws rises to the top of the heap of streaming and gives us all hope that the world’s biggest streaming giant can in fact deliver quality, cinematic efforts if done with love, respect and care. What makes The RIPP even more daunting is the fact that this story was taken from real events that transpired years ago to a group of cops. Sure, Carnahan, Affleck, Damon and company take liberties with the true-life source material, but it still doesn’t diminish the fact that this real-life inspired story is epic in its own right.
The RIP tells the street level story of an elite narcotics outfit known as the Tactical Narcotics Team. That’s right folks, it’s literally called TNT, so you know that these fine men and women are fierce and unwavering in their resolve to take a bite out of crime. Unfortunately, things have gone off the rails, and the team is mourning the loss of their captain who is mercilessly gunned down in the film’s ferocious opening. To make matters even worse, there is strong word that one of the members of the team is responsible for it.
TNT consists of five bad ass officers who include Damon’s Lieutenant Dane Dumars who is now the team’s new leader, but he is suffering from some serious job fatigue which includes the usual office politics and drama, but he is also dealing with the unreal reality that his young son has just succumbed to cancer and he also has a mountain of medical debt due to it. Normally, we are used to seeing Damon as a more confident go getter but here he is beaten down and now things are just spiraling out of control.
Affleck is Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, who is the second in command, but we aren’t quite sure yet if there is bad blood between him and as he was passed over for the promotion which was given to Dumars. We see at the start that the two are tight, but that comradery might be breaking before our very eyes. Bryne is also suffering from personal loss and with this, Carnahan weaves a web that only tightens as the narrative moves forward. Affleck just looks action hero ready here and hopefully who accepts more testosterone laced projects like this in the future.
Matt and Ben are clearly the anchors to this cop thriller, but the supporting cast is top notch and stellar in its own right. It’s nothing short of amazing to see action icon Scott Adkins playing alongside these heavyweights, and yes this isn’t a traditional Adkins role as there is no fighting involved as he plays Affleck’s FBI agent brother Del Byrne, but he excels in every scene he is in and demonstrates that Hollywood could do better with him headlining a film of this caliber. Kyle Chandler, who is one of the most underrated and sensational character actors of our time goes against his usual onscreen persona here as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix who is all boom and no filler.
Teyana Taylor, who just won a Golden Globe for her performance in One Battle After Another, lights it up as Detective Numa Baptiste and Catalina Sandino Moreno’s Detective Lolo Salazar also proves that the ladies are just as dangerous as the boys. The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun is also excellent as Detective Mike Ro, who is the newest member of the team and realizing that this night is going to be anything but routine. Rounding out the strong female portion of the cast is Sasha Calle (Supergirl in The Flash) as Desiree ‘Desi’ Lopez Molina who is the is the unfortunate inhabitant of the stash house that Dumar and his team descend upon when they receive a Crimestoppers tip that there is drug money on scene. Calle plays Desi superbly as the audience isn’t quite sure if she is the victim or the mastermind in all this.
Upon receiving this tip and with all that is already going on, Dumar, J.D. and the TNT raid the house and thus sparks a night of unbridled chaos and violence when way more money is discovered on the scene. We’re talking millions instead of thousands and protocol warrants that it must be all counted on site. An avalanche of unfortunate circumstances roll down hill, and this culminates in an evening of blood-soaked calamities where no one is to be trusted, and the bullets might just be the judge and jury when the smoke clears.
I must confess that normally I can see twists and turns coming a mile away but with Carnahan’s The RIP, he has crafted a volatile dirty cop thriller where I wasn’t quite sure who was the good guys and who were the bad guys. Did I figure it out? I will be honest and say that I was half right here, but I won’t elaborate any more than that right now. The knife slicing, taut atmosphere is also highlighted by the fact that Carnahan is notorious for serving up the prospect that no one is safe in his movies. This is evident in films like his cult classic thriller Smokin’ Aces where Affleck also made an appearance and was unceremoniously executed pretty much right away. This offers a layer of sweat inducing nuance that never lets up until the last scene before the credits roll. Carnahan goes all in here and has created a world where there is no black and white and your closest ally could turn out to be your worse enemy.
Now one can say that The RIP is more thriller than actioner but that doesn’t hurt the film as there are several visceral, unflinching and Walter Hill and Sam Peckinpah style action sequences at play. When the action hits, it hits you over the head with some serious blunt force trauma where the guns sound like cannon and the muzzle flashes erupt like fire. Highlights include the opening salvo where Captain Jackie Velez, played by S.W.A.T.’s Lina Esco is ambushed. It comes out of nowhere and sets up the film perfectly with unforgiving violence and hopelessness.
Carnahan does pump the brakes after that initial scene as he sets up characters, story and tension and this works because even though bullets don’t start to fly until the hour mark, viewers already fill like they have just survived the first salvo of unforgiveness. The last forty minutes serves up a kinetic street shootout and a brutal and claustrophobic CQB battle in the back of an armored ATV. This all culminates in a pedal to the metal car chase involving Affleck’s J.D. and a hard-hitting fist fight showing that Damon still has a little of that Bourne magic still in him. I’ve read some comments that the action was forgettable and to that all I can ask is…what movie were you watching? The adrenaline is perfect and only serves to put an exclamation point on the film.
Now comes the portion where I throw a little love to Scott Adkins as he righteously deserves to share the credits with these top tier actors. Adkins, as I have been saying for years, is more than just action and here as FBI agent Del Byrne, he showcases why he should be in bigger roles in bigger Hollywood films. One of the largest complaints I have about this film is that his character needed to be involved more as his chemistry with Affleck was unwavering. They should have played up the bothers angle here, but it was sadly a missed opportunity. Once again, however, Adkins is relegated to only a few scenes but one does include a fantastic exchange between himself and Affleck that makes me want to see these two together again. It made me laugh and all I’ll say is I’ll give ya a hug Scott. A man hug of course.
Another sore spot with me is Netflix itself. All I hear from the streaming giant is that they want to get into the movie theater business with the Warner Bros. deal but here is a prime example of shortchanging fans from that very experience. The RIP roars onscreen and begs to be played on the biggest screen there is with the best sound available. I do like to get comfy in my own home and watch a good flick, but I also love the movie theater vibes and this one just beckoned for it. Another missed opportunity. They release other films like Frankenstein and the Knives Out flicks for a limited time so why not a pulse pounding, bullet blazing thriller like this one?
Overall, The RIP is Damon and Affleck at their best. They show us why they are one of the biggest movie making duos ever and Joe Carnahan crafts a crime thriller that made me nostalgic for the films of Michal Mann and the gritty, stripped-down cop pics of the 70’s and 80’s. The supporting cast are all in fine form, the cinematography is low key and vibrant at the same time and the action, when it hits, explodes off the screen. I’m not going to give anything away here, but I would love to see some of these characters return in another outing of bullets, bravado and betrayal because when it’s done right (like it is here) then it’s a bombastic chef’s kiss.
VERDICT: 4 Out of 5 Stars
The RIP has the distinct honor of being hailed as the first kick ass actioner of 2026!
