What does a Marine veteran think of Netflix’s ‘Rebel Ridge’?

Since 2013’s Blue Ruin, I’ve been a fan of filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier. He makes grounded, gritty, tension-filled movies, and I love them. So, I didn’t need to know anything about Rebel Ridge, his latest movie, to want to see it. I was even more enthused when I learned the protagonist would be a Marine facing corrupt law enforcement. That sounds fun. I’d love to see what Saulnier could do with a story of revenge and the lone man standing up to a corrupt establishment. 

Then I saw the trailer and heard a female police officer in it saying, “I think he’s Marine Corps Martial Arts, M-C-M-A-P, One Mind, Any Weapon.” This hastily and poorly edited line had me cringing hard as the average cop isn’t going to understand what MCMAP is, so I was concerned. (Yet, the only real detail they get wrong is making it seem like his sole MOS was an MCMAP instructor, which can’t be the case in real life.)

Luckily, my fears were abated.

Rebel Ridge – The rundown 

The story of Rebel Ridge is fictional but grounded and based on reality. The movie tells the story of Terry Richmond, a Marine Corps veteran who rides into a corrupt small town on a bicycle. His goal is to bail his cousin out of jail – with $36,000 in cash he brings with him – for a minor possession charge.

After a fairly brutal confrontation, two thuggish police officers confiscate his $36,000 under Civil Asset Forfeiture. To make matters worse, Terry’s cousin is scheduled to be moved to the state prison while the local jail is renovated. But if he’s sent there, he will be in danger due to having been a cooperating witness in a murder case years prior.

The police chief in town, played by a perfectly smug Don Johnson, won’t budge. This leaves our hero with little choice but to take matters into his own hands. The film drops into the world of small-town conspiracy as Terry navigates a web of corruption solely aided by a courthouse employee named Summer.

The movie excels in pacing and tension. However, don’t go into this assuming it’s a hardcore action movie in the vein of John Wick. It’s more of a thriller with a few limited action scenes. What’s great about the action is that it’s cathartic. The movie is tense the whole way through, and the legal corruption of the town’s authorities will make you mad. So, the scenes of violence where Terry strikes back are a welcome relief. 

Related: ‘Extraction 2’ is a really fun and action-packed movie

Lights, camera, MCMAP

 The character is touted as an MCMAP instructor. MCMAP is a blend of martial arts that include boxing, judo, wrestling, jujitsu, and more I’m likely forgetting. I’m no MCMAP master and I only ever achieved a green belt. It’s been more than a decade since, but I don’t think we see Terry ever use any MCMAP moves I’d recognize. 

Most of the action isn’t over the top, with no one getting excessively hit and still fighting. The violence is short, quick, and efficient. Terry uses throws, takedowns, and holds, with minimal punches and kicks. He’s quick, efficient, and not looking to break the small bones in his hands. 

Aaron Pierre who plays Terry is fantastic in this role. He brings a sharp intensity to the character and has the physicality to be intimidating, but rarely tries to be. He reminds me of a rattlesnake: He’s curled up, shaking his tail; doesn’t want to fight, but he’ll strike if need be. 

Everyone performs great. There are a few twists and turns and some unexpected developments. The end almost feels a bit like a fizzle compared to the tension of the rest of the movie, but it’s still a rock-solid film that I enjoy. All in all it’s a good movie with great performances, good tension, and fun action. It is available to watch on Netflix.

I want to discuss one more aspect I loved about the film, but it dives into spoilers, so watch Rebel Ridge first and then return to his section. 

The veteran hero

Rebel Ridge slightly deconstructs the veteran hero. The movie has Jack Reacher and Rambo First Blood vibes to a degree: A veteran comes into town, finds himself at odds with local authorities, and does something about it. The veteran characters are typically portrayed as super badasses with a long history and service record, with confirmed kills and piles of medals. 

That’s not the case here. Our hero left the Marine Corps in 2017 and never deployed overseas. It’s pointed out explicitly that he has no combat experience. Later on, he confesses he’d never actually been in a fight outside of the gym until he ran into these corrupt cops.

His being a Marine hardly seems to have any effect on the story. He could have just been a guy who did martial arts. The movie seemingly hints that he isn’t just a Marine who was really good at MCMAP but a martial artist who entered the Marine Corps and brought his skills with him. That’s my examination, but the film doesn’t explore his backstory much at all. I like this deconstruction and revisiting of the veteran hero. It’s certainly an original take on an overplayed concept. 

Feature Image courtesy of Netflix

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