With each work I watch, I become a bigger and bigger fan of Jeremy Saulnier.
What seemed like a potential for him to be a great director has already come to fruition, and we are witnessing it. Rebel Ridge not only adds another great work to the director's hall, but also shows his versatility.
John Boyega's abandonment of the project may have been a blessing in disguise. Aaron Pierre is magnetic and a force of nature in this film. His presence is felt throughout the story, even in the moments when he is not mentioned.
The film and Aaron perfectly execute this character, rich of complex emotions in a one-man army.
AnnaSophia is not far behind, in a realistic performance of a person driven by a purpose and a true sense of justice, in a work that does not hide from us how the path to truth can be dirty, aggressive and cause destruction.
With a fair length for the story, the film allows itself to breathe, but always progresses accordingly and shows enough flesh in its plot and characters to specify its duration and each character.
I want to congratulate Emory Cohen and Don Johnson for making me despise them from beginning to end in their portrayal of a pair of characters who are the antithesis of everything the protagonists represent, always pushing them to make new difficult decisions.
Overall, it's a great film, with an excellent cast and a story that prioritizes its human narrative over action, but also uses its combat peaks to demonstrate more nuances of each character.
