Netflix is the streaming home of a gripping action thriller that seems to combine some of the best story tropes from Reacher and Rambo. Despite adopting familiar story beats and character archetypes, the movie in question also surprisingly manages to etch its own distinct identity by cleverly breaking many rules of the action genre.
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge seems rather familiar in its early story beats. Its protagonist, Terry Richmond, is portrayed as a former Marine who enters a small town to bail his brother out of jail. However, like Jack Reacher and John Rambo, he soon learns about the town’s corrupt law enforcers who unjustly seize his bail money.
Considering these early similarities between Rebel Ridge, First Blood, and Reacher, one might believe they know what happens next in the Jeremy Saulnier movie. However, instead of treading the same path as Reacher and First Blood, Rebel Ridge cleverly navigates some of the most well-worn genre tropes before completely defying or bending them.
Rebel Ridge Combines Tropes From Rambo & Reacher While Etching Its Own Identity
In its opening moments, Rebel Ridge riffs on the “mysterious stranger” trope which was first popularized by classic Westerns and later adopted by action thrillers like Reacher and Rambo. Its main character, Terry Richmond, is introduced as a former Marine, but the film intentionally shrouds his past in mystery. This effectively makes one question what he is capable of doing if law enforcers push him to his limit.
His military background, like Rambo and Reacher, also hints at how he could single-handedly take down the central town’s entire law enforcement if they keep bothering him. Owing to these developments, one starts anticipating Terry’s outburst of rage, waiting for him to lash out on wrongdoers like Jack Reacher and John Rambo.
However, instead of taking a predictable route, the Netflix action movie masters the art of building tension. It shows how Terry Richmond remains professional and patiently goes through every non-violent alternative to save his brother before everything fails. Even when nothing seems to work, Richmond does not violently attack the local police officers.
Instead, he attempts to negotiate and even peacefully agrees to back off. When they keep testing him, though, and completely corner him, Richmond unleashes his true potential and shows them they messed with the wrong man. Unlike Reacher and Rambo, Richmond remains composed even during the peak of his battle against the town’s law enforcers.
Putting his tactical experience on full display, he resorts to non-violent methods of combat to take down the police and avoids killing anyone. This puts him on a clear moral high ground and establishes a clear boundary between him as a hero and the villainous police officers.
Before Rebel Ridge ends its run, it becomes hard not to appreciate how, despite being almost as overpowered as Jack Reacher, Terry Richmond shows immense constraint and patience even when he feels the system closing in on him.
Like Reacher & Rambo, Rebel Ridge Has Franchise Potential
Like Reacher and Rambo, Rebel Ridge can easily be turned into a full-fledged franchise, with each new installment focusing on Terry Richmond’s journey into a different corner of systemic injustice. Similar to Jack Reacher, he could show up in a new town in every new installment and serve vigilante justice to wrongdoers.
Unfortunately, it looks like Netflix is willing to leave money on the table by not turning Rebel Ridge into a full-fledged franchise.
Jeremy Saulnier is seemingly not interested in expanding it into a movie series despite its potential. The director’s decision to have it as a standalone action film is understandable, but it also feels like a missed opportunity to build something more enduring around an incredibly compelling and rootable character like Aaron Pierre’s Terry Richmond.
Considering how no official announcements surrounding Rebel Ridge 2 have been by Netflix, it seems unlikely that it will turn into a franchise like Rambo and Reacher. However, viewers who loved Aaron Pierre in Rebel Ridge can look forward to his part in the upcoming DC series, Lanterns.