The Rip: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Gritty Netflix Thriller

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Matt Damon as Dane Dumars and Ben Affleck as JD Byrne in 'The Rip.'

Published Jan 27, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Shrishty is a decade-old journalist covering a variety of beats between politics to pop culture, but movies are her first love, which led her to study Film and TV Development at UCLAx. She lives and breathes cinema and sometimes wakes up with the close-up shot of Ryan Gosling's hands playing piano in La La Land, in her head.

She has worked with numerous media outlets, including Burda Media (MSN News), DKODING Media, The Voice of Fashion, Hindustan Times, and more. Throughout her career, she has interviewed an array of people, from CEOs and politicians to filmmakers and farmers.

It’s been nearly three decades since Matt Damon and Ben Affleck made Good Will Hunting, and there’s been no stopping them since. While fans are accustomed to seeing the duo in big-budget blockbusters, Damon and Affleck keep bringing smaller, intriguing ideas to the screen with their production company, Artists Equity. Three years after starring and producing Air, the duo brings The Rip, a compelling by-the-book cop drama that is now a global streaming sensation.

The Rip is at the top spot on Netflix’s global top 10 list, according to FlixPatrol. Directed by Joe Carnahan, the action-thriller bypassed the theatrical release completely, so it bodes well for the feature to garner worldwide attention. It stands tall among other Netflix titles like the climbing event Skyscraper Live, the rom-com People We Meet on Vacation, Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die, M Night Shyamalan’s latest film Trap, and more.

The Rip follows a Tactical Narcotics Team in Miami who, during a raid, discover a massive stash of cartel cash. The discovery triggers a moral crisis as team members begin to suspect each other of wanting to steal the money. The feature has an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score and compelling performances. Along with Damon and Affleck, the cast includes Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Kyle Chandler, Steven Yeun, Scott Adkins, and Catalina Sandino Moreno, among others.

Is 'The Rip' Worth Your Time?

If you like a quick, thrilling watch, The Rip will certainly keep you engaged. It's full of twists and turns, and the supporting cast brings in really tense performances and keeps you guessing. But it's Damon and Affleck’s chemistry that shoulders the feature, so the duo's fans are naturally flocking to watch. Its gritty tone, underlying themes, and realistic action make it a good watch. Collider’s Robert Brian Taylor writes in his review:

“The characters in The Rip do speak a certain way and carry themselves in a manner that feels true to the dingy, dangerous world it builds out. The story it's all in service of likely wouldn't support a two-plus-hour film, but, thankfully, The Rip cuts to credits right at the hour-and-45-minute mark. Just like the T.N.T. itself, this movie wants to get in, get the job done without complication, and get out before it overstays its welcome. On that front, The Rip is solid enough to earn a mild recommendation.”

The Rip is streaming on Netflix. Check out the trailer above and stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.