Film Review – The Rip

January 20th, 2026 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

The Rip (2026) is the kind of mid-budget crime thriller that may have been a modest hit in theaters decades ago, but whose real success would’ve been found with replays on cable stations. This is a movie built for a TBS or TNT broadcast. That might sound like an underhanded comment, but some of the best movies didn’t get the appreciation they deserved until they were discovered on television. Unfortunately, the system isn’t what it used to be. In the age of streaming, the film now must find its footing while stuffed between episodes of Squid Game, Love is Blind, and Too Hot to Handle. It’s a shame, because the film is good – at times even very good. It merits an audience looking for a polished, old school, throwback caper.  

We also get the reunion of best buds Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The history of their “bromance” has well been reported throughout the years. Their natural chemistry – both in front of and behind the camera – has always added an extra spark to their projects. That is no different here. Damon and Affleck play Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Seargeant J.D. Byrne, two Miami police officers who are part of a specialized narcotics task force. Their crew also includes detectives Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno). We learn early on that the crew’s Captain (Lina Esco) was killed in an alleged cartel-related ambush, which puts a cloud over the unit as well as suspicious eyes from the rest of the police department.

Director Joe Carnahan (who cowrites with Michael McGrale) establishes the character dynamics quickly, especially regarding Dumars and Byrne. It’s revealed that Byrne was in a romantic relationship with the Captain prior to her murder, and Dumars is still reeling from the death of his child. These developments make us question whether they are mentally fit enough to perform their duties. This is challenged right away, when the crew is given an anonymous tip of a stash house that possibly contains a large amount of drug money. Their mission: Check out the house and seize the money (or “Rip”). Almost immediately, the case goes sideways. First is the fact that the house in question is inhabited by a single person, Desi (Sasha Calle). To a much larger degree is the amount of the cash. What was assumed to be a few hundred grand turns out to be $20 million. This is far more than anyone was expecting. The discovery creates a sense of tension over how the task force will count the money, move it off the premises, avoid possible cartel attack, as well as the temptation to steal the money for themselves.

It’s that last portion that becomes the central question of The Rip. The writing adds several red herrings and erratic behavior that tests everyone’s loyalties. As soon as the money is found, no one seems to be doing anything by the book. Why would Dumars order everyone to give up their phones? Why is nobody calling headquarters to report the finding? Why is all this money being watched by one single person? What is Desi not telling them? Why does Byrne go missing for an extended stretch of time with no explanation? Who called in the tip? The further the narrative progresses, the trust between each of the crew members dwindles. It’s like a cat and mouse game, but it’s not entirely clear who is the hunter and who is the prey. The fun is in seeing the characters work with and against each other, trying to sniff out who has a secret agenda.

Above all else, The Rip is a platform for the actors to play off one another. Most of the runtime focuses on a single location, creating a theater-like environment. The small confines of the house adds a layer of claustrophobia, especially when the characters start questioning one another. Obviously, the most pressing dynamic is with Damon and Affleck, who take advantage of their well-known friendship and use that to create uncertainty between their respective roles. But each of the supporting players get their chance to shine also. Steven Yeun is effective as the middleman, going back and forth on which superior officer he should believe. Sasha Calle is also good in a smaller role, giving Desi enough vulnerability for us to empathize with, but adding enough wrinkles to make us wonder what information she may be holding back. The other actors – including Taylor and Moreno, as well as Kyle Chandler as a DEA agent and Scott Adkins as Byrne’s brother – make the most of their limited screentime. With each new twist and turn, characters that started in the background become more integral to the case.

Carnahan’s direction (along with Juanmi Azpiroz’s cinematography and Kevin Hale’s editing) create a dark, brooding, and sweaty visual aesthetic. The neighborhood where the stash house is located feels like it belongs to an alien world, where there are no cars or people to be seen outside of the main crew. There are some fun cinematic bits, such as when all the lights around the neighborhood turn on simultaneously – a clear sign that something is amiss. The camerawork creates a closed off bubble where only our main protagonists exist. Even when a shootout commences out of nowhere, the camera remains locked on Dumars, Byrne, Ro, and the rest. Any other enemies are masked in shadow and barely seen. “Darkness” is the name of the game here – not just for visual texture but as a reflection of shifting allegiances. 

The Rip is not without its issues. The narrative feels loose and scraggily, especially in the first half. Some revelations come out of left field, and the more dangerous elements are quickly brushed aside or explained away. And with a movie that has a “whodunit” type of plot structure, we always get those late scenes where everything is explained and all the pieces fit a little too well. Still, that doesn’t take away from the film’s overall effectiveness. This is a good, albeit imperfect, crime drama. It features a strong cast, a compelling mystery, and some exciting set pieces. Don’t let the fact that this was dumped into the streaming wasteland dissuade you. Give it a chance and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Ben Affleck, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Featured, Joe Carnahan, Juanmi Azpiroz, Kevin Hale, Kyle Chandler, Lina Esco, Love is Blind, Matt Damon, Michael McGrale, Sasha Calle, Scott Adkins, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, The Rip, Too Hot to Handle