Recxpectations: The Rip

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been all over the airwaves, promoting their new film “The Rip” on Netflix. The Google synopsis is “A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the seizure, making them question who to rely on.”

EXPECT: A NETFLIX-LEVEL ACTIONER
Matt Damon said that Netflix wants films to written in a way so that people on their phones (and who are half paying attention) can follow the film. He also noted that they want the customary set pieces - opening action scene, second act action scene, and big finale. I’m not sure if Netflix deserves all of the blame (I think the best thing I’ve seen out of Matt & Ben’s Artists Equity are the Dunkin’ Donuts commercials) but The Rip is very much in line with the mediocre pulp that they usually churn out. It’s immediately forgettable. And like many of these Netflix films, it tries to be a little of everything so it ends up being nothing at all. As a Whodunnit type film, there’s no strong driving force and most of the characters are so ill-defined that the mystery feels almost secondary. As an action film, it fails because the action scenes are all classic Cinema of Chaos - quick cuts, lots of guns or fast cards and you can’t really tell what exactly is happening. Much of the second act builds a kind of Assault on Precinct 13-style film but that doesn’t really materialize.
If you go in with low expectations for a B-movie action flick with big stars, then you might find this a good way to kill a couple hours.

DON’T EXPECT: THE PRESS TOUR MATT & BEN
It’s a little weird to me that Matt & Ben are playing up their friendship and have really turned on the charm offensive for a film in which neither of them really shows an ounce of charisma. They are both beaten-down-by-life cops who are just trying to make it through the day. I get that playing up the Matt and Ben of it all is the best way to drum up business but I kind of felt like a waste of talent. I mean, why cast Scott Adkins in a role where he basically is a guy who sits behind a desk?