The Rip Review: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Revive Old-School Hollywood Action

Netflix’s The Rip arrives as a reminder of a kind of Hollywood action film that has quietly faded in recent years — loud, unapologetic, star-driven, and designed purely for entertainment. Set against the neon-soaked streets of Miami, the film doesn’t attempt to reinvent the genre. Instead, it embraces familiarity and momentum, powered almost entirely by the easy, lived-in chemistry between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

From the opening sequence, The Rip signals its intent. A specialised police unit stumbles upon a massive cash haul during a routine raid, instantly triggering suspicion, temptation and moral compromise. What follows is a fast-moving spiral where trust erodes quickly and every decision carries consequences. The premise itself is familiar territory, but the execution is slick enough that the film rarely gives the audience time to question plausibility.

Director Joe Carnahan keeps the pacing aggressive, allowing scenes to bleed into one another with little breathing room. The result is a film that feels tailor-made for late-night viewing — the kind where you start casually and realise an hour later that you’re far more invested than expected. The narrative doesn’t pause to explain itself repeatedly; it assumes the viewer is willing to keep up or be left behind.

What truly elevates The Rip is the dynamic between its two leads. Damon plays a man still clinging to the belief that redemption is possible if he makes the right choice at the right time. Affleck, on the other hand, brings a wearier, more cynical energy — someone who understands that life rarely offers clean exits. Their interactions feel natural rather than scripted, built on years of shared screen history and real-world familiarity. This isn’t chemistry manufactured through sharp dialogue alone; it’s the comfort of two performers who instinctively understand each other’s rhythms.

In many ways, the film taps into a sensibility that Indian audiences are particularly receptive to. Much like big Bollywood crossover moments, where two established stars share the screen and the story becomes secondary to their presence, The Rip thrives on star equation. The narrative knows viewers are here as much for Damon and Affleck together as they are for the crime plot itself — and it leans into that without apology.

Visually, the film avoids stylised indulgence. The action is raw, immediate and often chaotic, favouring handheld intensity over slow-motion spectacle. Gunfights are brutal rather than glamorous, and the camera stays close to the characters, reinforcing the sense of pressure and urgency. While some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, the film moves too quickly to linger on missed opportunities.

Midway through, The Rip briefly flirts with deeper emotional territory — loyalty, guilt and the cost of long-standing brotherhood. But it wisely doesn’t overcommit. This is not a character study disguised as an action film. It’s an action film that occasionally remembers its characters are human before diving back into conflict.

There’s also an undeniable nostalgia at play. Damon and Affleck carry a kind of old-Hollywood magnetism that feels increasingly rare in a streaming-driven era dominated by algorithms and hype cycles. They don’t perform as actors trying to prove relevance; they command the screen with quiet confidence, reminding viewers why star power still works when used correctly.

By the time the credits roll, The Rip leaves behind a familiar, satisfying feeling — not of having witnessed something groundbreaking, but of having enjoyed a solid, engaging ride. It’s old-school Hollywood action, streamlined for modern streaming audiences, and it works precisely because it never pretends to be more than it is.