Jeremy Saulnier, the plainspoken American auteur behind “Green Room,” “Blue Ruin” and “Hold the Dark,” has been toiling away for the past few years on a new movie for Netflix called “Rebel Ridge.” Now, that movie is finally here. And there’s even a new trailer, which you can watch below.
In the film Terry (Aaron Pierre from “The Underground Railroad”) attempts to bail his cousin out of jail, when he runs afoul of some morally questionable smalltown cops. What starts off as a minor infraction soon balloons, with Terry having to take matters into his own hands and bring down a systemically corrupt police chief (a snarling Don Johnson) and maybe whole chunks of the Shelby Springs government. His only ally is a young attorney (AnnaSophia Robb), who soon finds herself in over her head as well. As the trailer suggests, Saulnier will deliver the bone-crunching suspense set pieces he is so good at, along with larger concerns about corruption, racism and the dangers of a militarized police state.
Production on “Rebel Ridge” was announced way back in 2019, with John Boyega in the role ultimately occupied by Pierre. Production was slated to begin in the spring of 2020 but pushed back a full year thanks to the pandemic. Once production finally got underway, though, Boyega left the film a few weeks in. Later that year Pierre was cast and production resumed in 2022. Now – it’s finally here.
“Rebel Ridge” was written, directed, produced and edited by Saulnier. Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino, Macon Blair and Anish Savjani also produced. Emory Cohen, David Denman and Zsane Jhe also star.
“Rebel Ridge” hits Netflix on September 6.