The Rip ** (2026, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler) – Classic Movie Review 13,843

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star in the 2026 American action thriller film The Rip as Miami cops who discover millions in cash during a raid on a stash house.

Trust collapses after a team of Miami cops discovers millions in cash inside a stash house. The 2026 American action thriller film The Rip stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler

Writer/ director Joe Carnahan’s 2026 American film The Rip is a moderate, watchable police crime action thriller potboiler, slickly made, quite violent and nasty, but then quite sentimental at the end, just when a harsh sharp conclusion is needed. The set up is familiar, and the conclusion is predictable, but in the middle act it pulls off some genuine surprises. There are too many guns, probably too much mindless action, and there is too much nastiness for comfort or pleasant entertainment.

A lot of the dialogue is incomprehensible, only about one word in three is fathomable, but the subtitles help, though even so it is sometimes hard to know what they are talking about. That’s odd, because the story is quite simple and straightforward. It is a chamber piece, small scale, though intense. It’s supposed to be a true story, but it is not entirely believable here.

The Rip is very American, uncomfortably so, dealing in difficult issues and situations that seem local rather than universal, hence difficulties in full understanding internationally. It feels quite right-wing and reactionary, a surprise from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who are not entirely convincing in these roles. They seem like actors acting, not real tough guys. Old-time tough guys like Charles Bronson, Gene Hackman or Lee Marvin could have made it work better. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck look scarily old, but can still run.

There’s not actually too much of a story here, though you get the impression that there could have been. Just, a lot of stashed money is found by cops and somebody wants to end up with it, but who? That’s it! Score (Clinton Shorter) and photography (Juan Miguel Azpiroz) are both very smart (maybe too much CGI though). It is all highly professional. The direction snazzy, showy and possibly over-confident. Some rough edges would be better. The writing is a shade wobbly in places, with some dialogue trouble, and a lot of crime movie character and genre clichés, but then it is so hard to find new ground in police thrillers. There is smugness here instead of doubt, humility and moral ambiguity.

Ultimately, yes The Rip is quite compelling and exciting, but none too likeable or appealing, and with no acting required from its stars or support actors.

Damon and Affleck produce the film at their Artists Equity production company. Netflix bought the rights and agreed to pay a one-time bonus to the 1,200 people who worked on the film if it performs well in its first 90 days.

Bizarrely, the budget was an incredible $100 million.

The Rip was released on January 16, 2026, on Netflix.

Duration: 112 minutes.

The cast are Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant JD Byrne, Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Teyana Taylor as Detective Numa Baptiste, Sasha Calle as Desiree “Desi” Molina, Catalina Sandino Moreno as Detective Lolo Salazar, Scott Adkins as FBI Agent Del Byrne, Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix, Néstor Carbonell as Major Thom Vallejo, Lina Esco as Captain Jackie Velez, Jose Pablo Cantillo as DEA Agent Dayo Reyes, Cliff Chamberlain as Officer Junger, Alex Hernandez as Officer Warwick, Daisuke Tsuji as FBI Agent Logan Casiano.

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,843

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