Writer/Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Steven Yeun
‘A Captivating Crime Thriller’
Not many actors have achieved recognition of Matt Damon. Ever since his rise to fame in the 1990’s, Damon has become a beloved icon. Whether it’s space scavengers, gifted janitors or soldiers, Damon has portrayed many strong characters. Arguably, Damon’s finest strength as an actor has often been his strong commitment to his craft. He is one of those actors that has always had talent for stealing the show in supporting roles which have limited screen-time. Even when he isn’t a main focus of a movie, Damon has always left a lasting impression. Through his capability to portray characters that are engaging, Damon has created a legacy that’s lasting. Although he is best known for his iconic role as Bourne in the spy franchise, Damon has proven that he can make engaging movies in every single genre. Throughout his career, Damon has made several unforgettable movies which are worth talking about.
Now, Damon is back on the big-screen and his strengths as an actor are clearly evident in his latest film “The Rip”. Released in 2026, Joe Carnahan’s movie offered a compelling portrait of conflicted cops. Packed with bold production design, intense storytelling and engaging acting, it’s one of the best crime movies of the year. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Matt Damon, who embodies a conflicted cop that faces tension. Although “The Rip” is undeniably a captivating crime drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing testing viewers’ patience. Nevertheless, it offers engaging entertainment that would satisfy fans of crime dramas.
“The Rip” tells the story of a pair of cops that face hardship. Matt Damon portrays Lieutenant Dane Dumars, a cop with an intense pressure to succeed in conflicted profession. Assisted by partner in crime Detective Byrne (Ben Affleck), Dumars has always excelled at solving murders in his city that are tragic. However, Dumars’ life changes when he stumbles across a stack of cash causing disaster. Faced with a big dilemma. Dumars questions how he should best deal with the cash. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Dumars is soon forced to question whether it’s possible for him to become a successful police officer. Questioning his devotion to his profession, Dumars wonders whether it’s possible to be a cop with dedication.
Joe Carnahan has always been fascinated with themes of crime. A fantastic director, Carnahan has often made engaging films about cops facing disaster. His iconic film “The A-Team” offered a powerful portrait of a team seeking to save the world from evil by collaboration. With “The Rip”, however, Carnahan made his first cops blockbuster. It’s the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the lives of cops facing adversities but he succeeds tremendously. Using captivating cinematography, Carnahan captures a cop embarking on a journey to find his identity. Emulating Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day”, Carnahan captures a pair of cops seeking to resolve crimes during their training day. Carnahan successfully uses montages to capture the hardships cops are facing. For instance, montages elevate the cop team up scene. During this unforgettable scene, Dumars teams up with his partner in crime Byrne to resolve a murder. Using montages, Carnahan created a portrait of cops that’s compelling. Montages are tricky techniques. As Gus Van Sant’s “Good Will Hunting” did suggest clearly, montages elevate coming of age movies. Nevertheless, it works well in this film. Using stunning visuals, Carnahan captures the hardships that cops in doomed cities are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “The Rip” that deserves appreciation is action. Emulating Martin Scorsese’s beloved “The Departed”, Carnahan effectively uses cross-cutting to create a portrait of cops that’s compelling. For instance, cross-cutting enhances the cops conflict scene. During this engaging scene, Dumars has a tense confrontation with gangsters that are seeking to acquire payment. Through cross-cutting, Carnahan creates a portrait of police that’s engaging. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Clinton Shorter’s music is key to success of the film. It gives the film tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that cops bear. Through captivating production, Carnahan captures the lives of cops that experience tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “The Rip” is a cops movie that’s engaging. The film is beautifully written, and expertly uses silence to capture tensions that cops experience. Carnahan’s greatest strength as a screenwriter is his abilities to capture tensions faced by cops through sequences of silence. For instance, silence enhances the cop farewell scene. During this heartfelt scene, Dumars bids emotional farewell to cops during his final days. Through silence, Carnahan creates a portrait of cops that audiences can relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to employ. As Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” suggested, silence enhances WWII films. Nevertheless, it works well in this movie. Through an exceptional screenplay, Carnahan captures cops that face a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Matt Damon delivers one of his best career performances as Danes Dumars. Damon first earned appreciation playing teens in classic coming of age films. With “The Rip”, however, Damon took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to embody the personality of a cop facing adversity but he succeeds tremendously. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, strong and emotional in his most iconic role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and grief of a cop that experiences tension. It’s a phenomenal performance by one of the finest actors today.
While the movie is mainly a showcase for Damon, the supporting cast is also great and worthy of appreciation. Ben Affleck is brilliant, capturing the heroic nature of a dedicated cop seeing to solve crimes that are tragic. Teyana Taylor is terrific, bringing out the fierce nature of a female cop that seeks to resolve a gruesome murder. Lastly, Steven Yeun merits appreciation. As a bold detective, he is unforgettable.
Although “The Rip” is a captivating crime drama, it isn’t a flawless film. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Carnahan’s decisions to integrate subplots about politics into the movie is admirable but it hinders pacing. Due to this faulty technique, scenes that capture interactions of political leaders aren’t as engaging as Dumars’ journey to fight police officers. Moreover, the movie lacks a compelling ending. It’s a formulaic conclusion without satisfying resolutions that fails to bring the movie to a conclusion. Therefore, “The Rip” can’t quite capture the lives of cops that engage in an excruciating relationship.
Nevertheless, fans of Matt Damon would absolutely enjoy “The Rip” and so would audiences seeking heartfelt entertainment. A captivating cops thriller, it celebrates an actor with a charismatic nature.
A powerful portrait of cops that experience a painful price to pay over the course of a day, it’s a riveting reminder of an actor that has never lost his ability to blow audiences away by his capabilities to portray powerful characters in memorable movies which are worth celebrating today.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 