The Rip review: Damon and Affleck’s latest cinematic reunion is less than the sum of its parts

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

When Matt Damon and Ben Affleck work together, the results are usually interesting – they’ve created hits like Good Will Hunting and intriguing projects like Air. The same can be said for director Joe Carnahan, whose films range from excellent, like The Grey, to disappointing, such as his take on The A-Team.

This gritty police thriller, said to be based on a true story, feels more like a Hollywood creation, but it starts with such a thrilling opening that it’s easy to overlook. It’s met with hopeful anticipation, but the initial excitement is what really grabs you.

The murder of Miami police officer Jackie Velez (Lina Esco) deeply impacts her team, the TNT (Tactical Narcotics Team). Her new supervisor, Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Damon), is determined to quickly find the killer, especially as he’s also grieving her loss. Detective Sergeant JD Byrne (Affleck), who was Velez’s partner and lover, keeps her gun as a lasting memorial.

As the FBI, led by Scott Adkins playing Byrne’s brother, begins questioning everyone, the remaining team – featuring Steven Yeun (from the show Beef), Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Ballerina) – stick together. Although it involves a lot of background information, the story is so well-crafted and acted that it feels like intense, profanity-laced drama.

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After receiving an anonymous tip, the team discovers a hidden stash of $20 million in a drug cartel’s safe house, along with a young woman named Desi. This sets the film’s central conflict: what should they do with the money? The cartel is on its way to eliminate everyone, they don’t trust their bosses with the cash, and as Dumars points out, stealing it would be the simplest solution. In Miami police slang, this act of stealing is known as “The Rip.”

Just when the remake of Assault on Precinct 13 was building exciting momentum, it unfortunately loses its way. Instead of escalating tension, the film slows down as characters make questionable choices and become increasingly secretive, making it hard to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing – and even harder to care. As one character points out about lying, it quickly becomes confusing, and that’s exactly what happens with the movie’s plot.

Surprisingly, the movie gets better once the characters leave the house, despite being set up as a home-invasion thriller. A tense conversation in an RV is a highlight, but it ultimately leads to a predictable action sequence and an overly sentimental ending.

It’s enjoyable to watch Damon and Affleck act opposite each other after so long, with Damon playing a troubled and intense character, and Affleck once again proving his skill at playing subtly impactful supporting roles. The rest of the cast is excellent, especially Calle, who delivers a strong performance in a role that could easily have been overlooked.

Director Joe Carnahan’s first film, Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane, hinted at his future style, but his best work explores difficult moral questions. He’s more compelling when dealing with complex characters, as seen in the often-overlooked Narc, than when simply focusing on action. This idea is central to his film The Rip, and is even symbolized by a tattoo one character has: “AWTGG,” which stands for “Are we the good guys?”

Overall, the movie is an exciting experience, but it tries to do so much that it doesn’t quite succeed at everything. It works well as a fast-paced, action-packed Friday night film, but feels disjointed despite having impressive elements. Considering Oscar-winning writers Damon and Affleck were producers, it’s surprising they didn’t refine the script to tie everything together. Hopefully, they’ll focus on that aspect in the future.

Authors

Matt Glasby

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2026-01-16 03:34