The Rip is a high-octane American action-thriller that reunites longtime collaborators Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in front of the camera, while placing gritty genre specialist Joe Carnahan firmly in the director’s chair. Released globally by Netflix on January 16, 2026, the film blends corrupt-cop paranoia, cartel tension, and siege-style action into a tightly wound crime story set in Miami.
Backed by a reported $100 million budget, The-Rip‘s one of Netflix’s most ambitious original action films of the year—and a notable experiment in profit-sharing incentives for below-the-line crew.
Story Overview (Spoiler-Light)
Set in the heat-soaked neighborhoods of Miami, The-Rip opens with the shocking murder of Captain Jackie Velez, a respected leader in the Miami Police Department. Rumors swirl that her elite Tactical Narcotics Team may be involved in robbing drug houses, placing immediate suspicion on the unit she once commanded.
Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) leads his fellow detectives to a modest house in Hialeah following a mysterious tip. Inside, they uncover a staggering $20 million in cartel cash hidden in the attic—an amount large enough to fracture trust instantly. Dumars’ decision to bypass protocol and confiscate everyone’s phones sets off alarm bells, especially for Detective JD Byrne (Ben Affleck), whose instincts tell him the situation is spiraling out of control.
As cartel threats close in and bullets begin tearing through the house, the film transforms from a procedural mystery into a brutal survival thriller. What follows is a tense unraveling of loyalties, revealing that the greatest danger may not be the cartel outside—but betrayal within.
A Cast Built for Grit
One of The Rip‘s greatest strengths is its stacked ensemble, each actor bringing credibility and intensity to the screen.
Main Cast Highlights
- Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars – controlled, calculating, and morally complex
- Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant JD Byrne – a grounded moral counterweight
- Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro – quietly menacing and unpredictable
- Teyana Taylor as Detective Numa Baptiste – tough, sharp, and emotionally resonant
- Sasha Calle as Desi Molina – the civilian at the center of the chaos
Supporting roles by Kyle Chandler and Scott Adkins add further weight, grounding the film in a believable law-enforcement ecosystem.
Direction, Tone & Style
Director Joe Carnahan—known for muscular, kinetic filmmaking—keeps The Rip lean and aggressive. The action is brutal but purposeful, favoring close-quarters gunfights and sustained tension over spectacle for spectacle’s sake.
Cinematographer Juan Miguel Azpiroz captures Miami not as a postcard city, but as a pressure cooker: tight interiors, sun-bleached streets, and claustrophobic nighttime shootouts. Clinton Shorter’s score pulses beneath the action, reinforcing paranoia and moral ambiguity rather than overwhelming scenes with bombast.
Production & Netflix’s Unusual Deal
Produced under Artists Equity—the studio founded by Damon and Affleck—The Rip‘ made headlines even before release. Netflix agreed to a performance-based bonus system, promising additional compensation to over 1,200 crew members if the film hit specific viewership targets within 90 days. This marked a rare shift away from Netflix’s typical flat-fee model and was widely praised across the industry.
Principal photography began in October 2024 in Los Angeles, with additional scenes filmed in New Jersey. The shoot wrapped in December 2024, staying largely on schedule for its early-2026 release.
Marketing & Release Strategy
Netflix rolled out a classic streaming-era campaign:
- Teaser trailer: September 10, 2025
- Sneak peek: December 25, 2025
- Full trailer: January 5, 2026
The marketing leaned heavily on the Damon–Affleck reunion and Carnahan’s hard-edged action pedigree, positioning The Rip’ as a prestige thriller rather than a disposable action title.
Critical Reception
Upon release, The Rip was met with strong critical approval:
- Rotten Tomatoes: 82% positive (39 critics)
- Metacritic: 64/100 (26 critics) – “Generally favorable”
Critics praised the film’s tight pacing, morally layered screenplay, and performances—particularly Damon’s controlled intensity and Affleck’s grounded realism. Some reviews noted the familiar genre framework, but most agreed the execution elevated the material above standard crime thrillers.
Why The Rip Stands Out
What separates The Rip from typical streaming action films is its focus on character and consequence. The film isn’t just about who survives the night—it’s about how corruption erodes trust and how truth emerges only when every lie collapses.
By combining:
- A star-driven cast
- Director-led genre confidence
- Real-world industry experimentation
The Rip‘s feels less like “content” and more like a traditional theatrical thriller—just delivered to millions at home.
Final Verdict
The Rip‘s a sharp, intense action thriller that proves Netflix can still deliver adult-oriented, character-driven genre cinema at scale. With powerful performances from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, confident direction by Joe Carnahan, and a morally charged narrative, the film stands as one of Netflix’s strongest original releases of 2026.
For fans of gritty crime dramas, corrupt-cop thrillers, and tightly staged action, The Rip is absolutely worth the watch.