“The Rip” is not your typical Netflix movie

Before I get to this review, I need to restate what I said a few weeks ago, 99% of the movies Netflix releases are garbage. Every now and then, there is a gem like “Rebel Ridge.” “The Rip” falls somewhere in the middle: neither masterpiece nor trash. It is one of those movies that we don't see much anymore, a mid-budget movie for adults with a few stars.

"The Rip" follows a group of cops who find a drug stash house with millions ofdollars.

I recently rewatched Kevin Smith's “Dogma,” which has Ben Affleck and Matt Damon playing fallen angels trying to get back into heaven. It was the first time that Damon and Affleck had worked together since writing “Good Will Hunting.” “The Rip” marks their third collaboration. As Lt. Dumars (Damon) and Detective Sargent Byrne (Affleck) play off one another perfectly. Bryne wants to do this by the book, and Dumars doesn't. This leads Byrne to suspect Dumars' motives. He's not openly doing anything shady, but he's leaning heavily toward it.

The tension between Byrne and Dumars perfectly encapsulates the movie's vibe. Here are five law enforcement members with over 20 million that no one else knows about. It becomes really easy to suspect any of them of being a dirty cop. Everyone has moments where they could end up being the main antagonist. Not knowing who to trust or understanding everyone's motives is half the fun of watching “The Rip.” Sure, there are twists that I saw coming, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the movie. It's a twisty, fun movie.

"The Rip" is an all-too-rare example of a good Netflix movie. It manages to be anintriguing story with great actors. Many Netflix movies fail because they think that all you need is a lot of money and some big-name stars, and forget that the story comes first.

“The Rip” is on Netflix

8/10

Rated R for violence and pervasive language

1h 53m