Summary

• Similar to Rambo, Netflix's Rebel Ridge promises to be an action-packed hit with an ex-Marine protagonist fighting against corrupt authorities.
• Delayed by the pandemic, this film directed by Jeremy Saulnier features a strong cast and a storyline that echoes popular action hits.
• With parallels to First Blood, Walking Tall, and Reacher, Rebel Ridge looks to establish itself as an exciting new addition to the action genre.

Netflix's action movie's similarities with Sylvester Stallone movie. It has been over two decades since the first Rambo movie first hit the big screens. Although many films have tried to recreate its formula and capture its essence, only a few have come close to matching its legacy. However, from the looks of it, a new Netflix film has the potential to mark the inception of an exciting Rambo-esque action franchise.

Scheduled to be released on September 6, 2024, the new film is among the many movies that were supposed to premiere much earlier but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per reports, John Boyega of Star Wars fame, was also initially cast as its lead before he departed from the project. Despite experiencing several behind-the-scenes delays and setbacks, however, the Netflix film is finally seeing the light of day and also seems to have immense potential.

Rebel Ridge Looks Like A Modern Take On Rambo: First Blood

It Also Reminds One Of Walking Tall & Reacher

As Rebel Ridge's action-packed trailer suggests, it seems reminiscent of the first Rambo movie, First Blood, in more ways than one. Like First Blood revolves around a misunderstood war veteran, Rebel Ridge's main character is an ex-Marine. Similar to Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo, Rebel Ridge's Terry Richmond single-handedly wages a war against local law enforcement when a corrupt police officer seizes the money he was going to use to bail out his cousin. In both movies, the protagonists are outnumbered by local police, but use their tactical experience and physical prowess to fight back.

The main characters in both films are also incredibly overpowered, allowing them to fight as one-man armies against their town's law enforcement. While the parallels between First Blood and Rebel Ridge seem evident, the Netflix movie also shares several narrative and thematic similarities with Walking Tall and Reacher. Like Rebel Ridge, both films feature former military personnel embroiled in conflicts with local authorities and corrupt systems.

While Dwayne Johnson's Chris Vaugh from Walking Tall is an ex-soldier of the US Special Forces, Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher in Amazon's Reacher was a major in the US Army's military police. Like Rebel Ridge's Terry Richmond, both characters stand tall in the face of danger, even when all the odds are stacked against them. Despite knowing the potential legal consequences of confronting the local police, they set out to find justice instead of buckling against authority.

Why Rebel Ridge Is So Exciting

Rebel Ridge's Familiar Formula Has Worked Wonders In The Past

As Rebel Ridge's similarities with movies and shows like First Blood, Reacher, and Walking Tall suggest, it will follow a tried and tested formula that has proven successful multiple times. This alone makes it exciting, establishing that it could either be the perfect First Blood replacement or give audiences something worth watching while they wait for Reacher season 3. Rebel Ridge has also been written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, who has a long history of delivering critically acclaimed thrillers like Green Room, Blue Ruin, and Murder Party.

Despite having an impressive record as a director, Saulnier remained inactive after directing two episodes of True Detective season 3. The fact that Rebel Ridge marks his return after a 5-year hiatus makes the movie even more exciting. In Rebel Ridge's trailer, English actor Aaron Pierre also seems to have the screen presence of formidable male leads like Jack Reacher from Reacher and John Rambo from Rambo: First Blood, making the film an enthralling addition to Netflix's action catalog.