Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence and strong language in tense police thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Rip
What's the Story?
After a police captain (Lina Esco) is brutally murdered at the start of THE RIP, an investigation takes place into what her colleagues knew of her death and final cases. It's clear that there's tension between dueling law enforcement teams, and suggestions of corruption are rampant. Mutual suspicions will only intensify when newly promoted Lt. Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) takes a team with him to recover drug cartel money from a suburban home. The team includes longtime friend Det. Sgt. J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck), and Detectives Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), Mike Ro (Stephen Yeun), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno). At the house, they find a young woman (Sasha Calle) who appears to know more than she's letting on. Even while questioning each other's motives and feeling like sitting targets at the house, the team will need to count the money before they can leave.
Is It Any Good?
The mystery of who is trustworthy versus corrupt in this twisty cop thriller is suspenseful, tense, and fun, making it a bit of a letdown when the ending plays out in pure high-speed action. The Rip drops us immediately into a procedural investigation: A police captain has been assassinated and everyone is suspect. It's an effective way to set up the cast of characters and their complicated relationships, as well as their messy, angsty climate of distrust and respect. It's also always fun to see Damon and Affleck reunited. They look purposefully tired here—gone is their youthful Good Will Hunting energy. They may be more buff, but their characters have been through—as they might put it—some s--t.
The film hits its stride in the second act, when the team is on site at the stash house and tempers flare. They're all suspicious of each other, and viewers have no more information than they do. In the confusion, it can feel like there are some ends left loose. The dialogues can also land a little over the top—is there really quite so much macho posturing among law enforcers, or is this just how Hollywood imagines things? But the tension is successfully built, with an uneasy score and a nighttime composition adding to the mood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how realistic The Rip feels, especially considering the script is based on a real story. What aspects felt more or less realistic for you?
The film is quite dark, visually. Action takes place mostly indoors or at night. How does this affect the mood of the movie?
How does this film compare with other police films or series you've watched? What's different? What's familiar?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 16, 2026
- Cast : Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Teyana Taylor
- Director : Joe Carnahan
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 112 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and pervasive language
- Last updated : January 29, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate