Film Review: The Rip (2026)
The Damon/Affleck train of destruction has been barreling on its doomed course for over thirty years. In the wake of its never-ending locomotion, this marvelous moving machine leaves an arid land scorched of vibrancy and spirit. Its reign is total, and its dominance is unrivaled here or anywhere on Earth. When this everlasting force breathes deep, its inhalation consumes all and leaves very little left alive. Few escape its grasp, but for those who do, their freedom comes with a terrible price: they must now bear the mark of “frequent collaborator.” Most, however, are never seen again, lost to the dustbins of history or cast into the pit like an intern with a miscalculated coffee order. These poor fools, perhaps, are the most fortunate of all, for their suffering has come to an end.
But I digress.
Truth be told, and despite the fun I have at their expense, I don’t have much against Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. I’ve greatly enjoyed some of their movies (Good Will Hunting, Dogma, Air, The Last Duel), and have been mostly indifferent to the rest. Individually they’ve had some real stinkers, but there’s something about their camaraderie that makes their collaborative efforts worthwhile (for the most part). The Rip is no exception – especially if you’re a fan of ‘80s buddy cop movies like Lethal Weapon or 48 Hours – proving once again that perhaps the wonder twins might just be onto something.
It all starts when Miami narcotics cops Dumars and Byrne (Damon and Affleck) catch wind of a drug house in need of raiding. Rumors of crooked cops stealing money from such raids (known as “rips”) are circulating the department, making the strike team (which includes Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, and Catalina Sandino Moreno) more than a little suspicious of each other. Adding to the confusion are the DEA and FBI (Kyle Chandler and Scott Adkins) poking their noses around, along with the fear and anxiety of the young woman living in the house in question (Sasha Calle).
It stands to reason that things don’t go according to plan, but instead of a sprawling mystery that casts a wide net around the entirety of Miami-Dade County, we’re treated instead to what amounts to a measured and well-paced siege movie, thanks to veteran action movie director Joe Carnahan. The Rip rarely strays from the neighborhood in which the majority of its action takes place – a welcomed surprise that adds an air of claustrophobia to the tension and allows the central question of “Who’s the rat?” to take shape in ways it otherwise couldn’t under different circumstances.
It’s entirely possible you’ll have it all figured out by the time the climactic final act takes its course, but even if you do, the ride is still enjoyable enough to not let something as pesky as predictability get in the way. The Rip works best when you allow yourself to revel in the cop movies of your youth (or, my youth anyway) and wallow in the knowledge that not every movie that comes down the pike is obligated to chase awards. Sometimes, movies can just be fun and nothing more.
