Featuring a captivating performance from Aaron Pierre, director Jeremy Saulnier’s suspenseful-but-restrained “Rebel Ridge” mixes throwback thrills with earnest social commentary in its story of injustice, heroism, and deep-seated corruption of institutions claiming to serve the greater good.

The film, taking place in the small town of Shelby Springs, Louisiana, centers around Terry Richmond (Pierre), who we first meet cycling en-route to the local courthouse to post bail for his cousin, Mike (C.J. LeBlanc), who is in jail for a drug-related crime. Terry is violently knocked off his bicycle by some Shelby Springs cops who take Terry’s money ($36,000 in cash) using the loophole of a “civil asset forfeiture.” This allows them to seize Terry’s bail funds, with no due process, under the pretense that he’s involved in criminal activity. They dare Terry to contest the “legal” theft in court before leaving him, scraped up from the fall, by the side of the road.

Furious, and recognizing that Mike doesn’t have much time remaining (he’ll likely be killed behind bars), Terry confronts the local police chief, Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). Good ‘ol boy Sandy reveals that the police department has absolutely no intention of returning Terry’s life’s savings.

Although only a couple people are available and willing to help Terry scrounge up the money to post Mike’s bail (including the owners of a Chinese restaurant where Terry previously worked), he allies himself with a troubled court clerk named Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb). Knowing the risks involved but understanding Terry’s pain, Summer agrees to help him uncover a conspiracy that’s gripped the soul of Shelby Springs, finding that the lies and deceit go much further than even she thought possible. 

It doesn’t hurt that Terry is also an ex-Marine who ran the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. He’s smart, determined, and violence-averse, willing to negotiate with his enemies before throwing hands (usually non-lethally). But, as Terry’s deals with Chief Burnne are struck and promptly broken, the game plan shifts. Terry is prepared to use his abilities to fight for Mike, Summer, himself, and the community of Shelby Springs overall.

“Rebel Ridge” is a departure from Saulnier’s previous down-and-dirty efforts “Blue Ruin” and “Green Room,” but no less potent. With a variety of genre influences, from action films like “First Blood” to Westerns to film noir, Saulnier mixes the cartoonish with the grounded amidst crackling dialogue, grim plot twists, and well-choreographed bursts of carnage, enriched by scenes of razor-sharp tension.

Indeed, contrary to other “one-man army” films of its ilk, “Rebel Ridge” is a thinking person’s thriller, rewarding our attention and being about something beyond its familiar framework. Saulnier targets actual legal procedures that protect those in power and take advantage of marginalized communities, trapping his characters in an environment where the only remaining solution is taking matters into their own hands – that is, if they’re willing to risk losing it all in the process. 

“Rebel Ridge” lingers on those consequences, and the fear that the authorities instill within the community; the police department itself grows increasingly desperate to maintain its stranglehold on the public through physical and psychological warfare. “Rebel Ridge,” then, for all its one-liners, wry humor, and expertly-calibrated suspense, isn’t a fantasy. Saulnier underlines the stakes while building towards that ever-important climactic showdown – we root for Terry and his allies each grueling, painful, tragic step of the way.

“Rebel Ridge” wouldn’t be anywhere near as engaging as it is without Pierre, who delivers one of the year’s strongest performances, and stepped in to fill the role after John Boyega’s controversial departure. His Terry is a quiet wrecking ball, coiled-up but patient – with a sense of Right vs. Wrong that he’s compelled to act on, no matter the costs. Pierre’s performance evolves as the film progresses, giving Terry a quiet yet commanding gravitas that doesn’t rely on dialogue. Terry’s anger, sadness, and ever-mounting rage is palpable, and when he’s finally operating at his full combative capabilities, it’s a sight to behold — almost machinelike in the deployment of his “particular set of skills.”

The supporting cast is capable without getting anywhere near as many moments to shine as Pierre. Robb has great chemistry with Pierre, giving Summer unexpected depth. Johnson chews scenery as the detestable Chief – putting on a show of “masculinity” and “strength” while being wholly unprepared for the chaos that Terry brings into the picture. Zsane Jhe is sympathetic yet mysterious as Officer Jessica Sims, who is undergoing her own internal moral battle, and David Denman is almost too effective as a racist cop out for blood.

Saulnier’s direction is lean, muscular, and precise, without relying on stylistic flourishes. David Gallego’s crisp cinematography helps suspense simmer, making the most of mirrors, and frames the action with an unflinching eye (albeit nowhere near as graphically as Saulnier’s previous efforts). Saulnier’s screenplay crackles with wit, mixing in the occasional moment of comedic relief, lending each hushed conversation and high-intensity standoff satisfying spice a la Quentin Tarantino and S. Craig Zahler, enriched by Bill and Will Blair’s pulsing score.

Saulnier doesn’t have a complete grip on pacing, however, and “Rebel Ridge” becomes a bit long-winded in its second half, relying heavily on exposition dumps to keep the story moving. The conclusion, too, powerfully ambiguous and subverting expectations, won’t deliver for those expecting a more traditional experience. But Saulnier operates on a different, far more interesting level. “Rebel Ridge” is his strongest effort yet, also cementing Pierre as a real talent to watch.

“Rebel Ridge” is a 2024 action thriller directed by Jeremy Saulnier and starring Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, and Zsane Jhe. It is rated R for language, smoking, and violence, and is 2 hours, 11 minutes. It released on Netflix on September 6. Alex’s Grade: A-.