Johann Rucker’s review published on Letterboxd:
Martyrdom is a magic trick, a sleight of hand and soul by which the dead, who have no say in the matter, substitute as the center of the story for those who survived to tell it.
- Jeff Sharlet, "The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War."
Incredible. Jeremy Saulnier was sorely missed, and REBEL RIDGE is such a powerful return-to-form for him after the ultra-memoryhole'd HOLD THE DARK all the way back in 2018. Six years later, and he's back in fighting shape.
This is tightly scripted, deliberately paced, and tense as a muscle cramp. Aaron Pierre is a goddamn force to be reckoned with here; a true star-making turn with the type of superstar magnetism that is in short supply as of late. Pierre is equal parts wry, charming, and physically imposing; it also helps he's written with care, as his character jumps off the screen. A perfect foil for Don Johnson's shit-eater of a lawman.
With as much cruelty as there is on-screen in REBEL RIDGE, it never felt overwrought or exploitative. The engine at the heart of this story is justice, not senseless revenge. This all feels very complex for Saulnier, and I'm happy this film (finally) saw the light of day. Strong stuff.
Plus, it's basically a soft-reboot of Tom Laughlin's excellent BILLY JACK! Non-lethal (less-lethal?) CQC to effectively disarm injustice and take down agents of the State. As close to pacifist action cinema as we're ever gonna get 😮💨
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