Warning: Spoilers ahead for Rebel Ridge!

Netflix's new action movie Rebel Ridge features a strong cast led by Aaron Pierre, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, and Don Johnson. The film follows a tension-fueled premise of an ex-Marine getting framed by corrupt cops in a small town in southern America. Terry Richmond, the ex-Marine protagonist played by Pierre, ultimately gets into a showdown with Johnson's Chief Sandy Summers after having tens of thousands of dollars stolen from him. Terry was unethically detained by officers Evan Marston (Denman) and Steve Lann (Emory Cohen).

By the Reviews for Rebel Ridge have been very strong, resulting in the film earning an impressive Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%. Apart from Rebel Ridge, acclaimed writer and director Jeremy Saulnier is known for Blue Ruin (2013), Green Room (2015), and Hold the Dark (2018).

Netflix's Rebel Ridge Is Not Based On A Specific True Story

The realistic tone of the film brings the fictional story to life

It would be easy to believe that Rebel Ridge retells a true story of injustice but it's really more of a testament to the exceptional filmmaking.

While Netflix's Rebel Ridge is founded on a plausible premise, the story and character of Terry Richmond are completely fictional. The opening scene, in which Terry is pulled over and detained by Officers Marston and Lann, feels like a modern-day news story but is so smartly written that it immediately pulls you in with a gripping sense of suspense. One of the greatest aspects of Rebel Ridge is how its tone is so rooted in a sense of reality, which comes across in every aspect of the movie, from cinematography and setting to the performances and plot development.

It would be easy to believe that Rebel Ridge retells a true story of injustice but it's really more of a testament to the exceptional filmmaking. While pitting a highly trained veteran against local law enforcement is already a compelling premise for an action thriller, Saulnier takes his intriguing and topical story one step further by exposing more of a niche type of law enforcement injustice known as civil asset forfeiture. Rebel Ridge essentially demonstrates a hypothetical situation of a very real category of police misconduct and executes it so authentically that it nearly feels like a reenactment of a real-life scenario that is both plausible and entertaining.

Rebel Ridge Is Inspired By Real Civil Asset Forfeiture Injustice

Saulnier exposes a frustrating but legal loophole in the U.S. law

Fortunately for Terry, he is a no-nonsense ex-Marine who can take matters into his own hands, but it's impossible not to think about all the other civilians in the same situation who could do nothing about it.

Rebel Ridge brings awareness to a problematic United States law that allows the fictional police officers in the film to seize Terry's money based on suspicions and implications alone. Per Netflix, "Civil asset forfeiture is the legal framework that allows the Shelby Springs police to seize Terry’s cash with no due process. As Summer explains to Terry early on in the film, asset forfeiture holds up in court because a citizen’s money has no civil rights of its own." Writer/director Saulnier got ahead of the curve by exposing this real-life loophole in Rebel Ridge rather than making a film based on a headlining news story, which is a more typical route for these types of reality-based projects.

As portrayed in Rebel Ridge, the local police officers appear quite practiced in the protocol for civil asset forfeiture, which is proven by their arsenal of weaponry and cash they keep in their local sheriff's station. Rebel Ridge dispels the notion that some benevolent force will come in and make matters right for Terry Richmond and instead doubles down on Terry's sense of hopelessness after the incident leads to the death of his cousin, whom Terry was trying to bail out of jail with the cash that was seized. Fortunately for Terry, he is a no-nonsense ex-Marine who can take matters into his own hands, but it's impossible not to think about all the other civilians in the same situation who could do nothing about it.

What Rebel Ridge's Cast & Director Have Said About Rebel Ridge's True Story Inspiration

Saulnier found a universal premise that "pisses everyone off"

Saulnier opened up to Netflix about his extensive research process for Rebel Ridge and why he thought it would make a great movie. "It’s this insane loophole in anti-drug regulation that allows law enforcement to seize property from ordinary citizens without any proof of criminal activity. I thought it’d make a great premise for a movie because of how unifying it is — it pisses everyone off.”

Pierre told Entertainment Weekly that his character, "highlights our abilities as individuals to make a change" and "not be complicit and to make a choice." Co-star AnnaSophia Robb also added to EW, "It takes place in a small town, but it really speaks to a larger audience. Being an ally to someone and making that impossible choice ultimately changes society at large." Ultimately, Rebel Ridge isn't a true story in and of itself but rather an exceptional hypothetical scenario that represents a multitude of real-life victims affected by a great injustice.

Source: Netflix, Entertainment Weekly