Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Netflix Original is the Ultimate Heist Thriller
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
We live in an age where the difference between movies made for theaters and movies made for home viewing is becoming increasingly clear. While you are doing press the Ripwhich premiered on Netflix on January 16, 2026, Matt Damon didn’t mince words when he admitted that direct-to-air movies are written differently than movies designed for theatrical release. I’m paraphrasing here, but the sentiment he expressed was simple: paying money to sit in a theater and give a movie your undivided attention is not the same as shooting Netflix at home while you scroll through your phone and watch something passively. As a result, audience expectations have changed, and writing has changed along with them.
Rip Admittedly, it’s one of those heist films made for second screen viewing. The text is clearly designed for a home audience who may be splitting their attention between social media, news apps, and whatever household project is happening nearby. When I walked into my viewing deliberately locked inside, cell phone in the other room on the charger, I can’t say that a show designed for distracted viewers ever felt overly heavy, all things considered.
The film still has layers, the mixed motivations of the characters, and the elaborate drug bust known as the rip that holds even your full attention. I never felt insulted for eating spoons because the dialogue felt more natural than what I’ve seen lately elsewhere. Unusual things 5for example, he often felt like he was talking to a baby who couldn’t concentrate for more than five minutes, too Rip he avoids that trap.
Rippers will explode
Ripwritten and directed by Joe Carnahan, centers on Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) and Detective Sergeant JD Byrne (Ben Affleck), two officers who work for the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Detective Squad, known as TNT. When their captain and friend Jackie Velez (Lina Esco) was killed, the Ministry of the Interior began to suspect rampant corruption in the unit, including extorting money from drug companies for his own benefit, which led to the death of Captain Velez.
When Dane receives an anonymous tip about a stash of drugs and cash hidden in a Hialeah apartment, he calls JD and detectives Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno) to investigate. The home is occupied by ex-FBI informant Desi Molina (Sasha Calle), who is completely unaffected as she has just moved in. Ownership of the home has not been resolved, as he has not successfully claimed the property through probate court.
The main source of conflict in Rip it’s not the incredible amount of money they’re making that’s hidden in the basement, but the competing motives that come to light when everyone realizes how big a rip they’ve gotten themselves into. Dane and JD are both acting suspiciously, but so is the rest of the crew. That tension was increased by Desi’s presence, as he pretended to know nothing even though he first cooperated with the police.
One of the Best Direct Streaming Courses
While Rip inevitably guilty of explaining too many plot points to disaffected home viewers, it largely avoids condescension by committing itself to a surprisingly complex story with a satisfying payoff. Landfills exist, but they are separated enough that anyone paying attention won’t feel slighted. The film is full of mixed motivations and questionable characters, and these conversations sound like people rushing to understand a critical situation rather than actors stopping to introduce themselves to the audience.
My takeaway after watching Rip that if we are indeed headed for a future where movies and streaming content operate under different creative rules, this feels like a step in the right direction. I don’t watch movies in silence, and I never felt like my intelligence or media knowledge was insulted here. At the same time, if you’re looking for something to throw in while you fold the laundry and occasionally look up, it still works great on that level as well.
Add the star power of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to this concept, and maybe we’ll start seeing direct-to-air releases that feel like real movies instead of digital slop with no meaning or payoff. I’m not happy that this is where 2026 filmmaking has gone, but if this is the truth we’re still stuck with, Rip it’s proof that it doesn’t have to be a total loss. If more content like this keeps coming, we might actually be okay.
Rip is a Netflix Original and available to stream with an active subscription.
