Ben Affleck and Matt Damon headline a flashy, violent Netflix thriller built for late-night viewing
January has long been a refuge for loud, unapologetic genre films, a time when spectacle often trumps prestige. This year, that tradition continues with a crime thriller led by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, two of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces, now firmly operating within the streaming ecosystem rather than the cinema.
Their new film, The Rip, lands on Netflix as a glossy, action-driven thriller that feels intentionally out of time. It is loud, muscular and proudly old-fashioned, evoking the kind of films that once thrived in multiplexes during the early 2000s. Yet despite its scale and star power, it arrives not on towering cinema screens but in living rooms.
In another era, a film like this would have dominated weekend box offices. It reportedly carries a budget close to $100m, an unusually large sum for a non-franchise, R-rated film. That it exists at all reflects Netflix’s willingness to bankroll projects that traditional studios would now hesitate to touch. To secure the film, the platform even agreed to adjust its payment structure, allowing the cast and crew to benefit from a profit-sharing model tied to the film’s performance.
The film is directed by Joe Carnahan, a filmmaker known for punchy, testosterone-fuelled thrillers. He first gained attention in the early 2000s and has since built a career crafting tough, swaggering genre pieces. The Rip feels like a natural continuation of that trajectory, a project that fits neatly into his comfort zone.
The story centres on a group of Miami police officers who stumble upon a hidden fortune. After receiving a tip, they descend on an ordinary suburban house and uncover more than $20m concealed in the attic. What follows is a tense battle over trust, loyalty and temptation as the officers attempt to move the money while questioning one another’s motives.
Affleck and Damon lead the ensemble as seasoned officers at the heart of the operation. Their long-standing chemistry is evident, lending weight to roles that might otherwise feel routine. While some of the film’s bravado and chest-thumping performances strain credibility at this stage in their careers, their experience allows them to inject a degree of humanity into thinly sketched backstories.
The supporting cast includes several high-profile performers, though their characters are given limited room to develop. One standout presence comes from the young woman who lives in the house where the money is found. Her fear and uncertainty help raise the tension as the situation spirals further out of control.
Visually, the film carries a confident, muscular energy. Carnahan directs with little subtlety, favouring momentum over restraint. The mystery at the centre of the story is eventually laid bare through an extended explanation that leans more towards functional clarity than genuine intrigue. From that point on, the film commits fully to relentless action.
Despite moments of competence and flair, the film sidelines its female characters, even though they display enough strength to rival their male counterparts. Ultimately, The Rip positions itself unapologetically as a masculine, adrenaline-driven thriller designed for easy consumption.
It is not a film that lingers long after the credits roll. Instead, it serves as a loud, brisk distraction, best suited to a casual Friday night watch. By Saturday morning, it may already be fading from memory, another reminder of how Hollywood’s biggest stars are increasingly finding their home on streaming platforms rather than the silver screen.