Netflix has some pretty solid options in its catalog of action and crime titles, including films like Martin Scorsese's The Adventure. the Irish (2019), and it's about to get bigger with the addition of a new crime thriller called Rebel crest. The film comes from the mind behind A24. Green room (2015), Jeremy Saulnier, who has reprised his role as writer and director of the new Netflix film, which will arrive on one of the best streaming services on September 6.
In the trailer (see below), which premiered yesterday (August 7), Aaron Pierre steps onto the scene as Terry Richmond, who arrives in the small town of Shelby Springs on a mission to bail out his cousin and free him. It’s not long before his mission turns into a sticky situation when law enforcement unfairly takes his life savings, and Police Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) and a team of fellow officers stand in his way to save his cousin. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The trailer makes it look like a modern take on the ’80s classic. Rambo.
See in the
Amidst the chaos, Richmond meets court clerk Summer (AnnaSophia Robb), who together become obsessed with a mysterious conspiracy rooted in the town. The trailer hints at the lengths Richmond must go to ensure justice is served for her family and the community around her, with Saulnier telling Netflix Tudum: “For this film, I wanted to explore how the rest of us react to such systems, how infuriating they can be, from corrupt politicians to the endless cycle of a customer service call gone wrong.”
Rambo has a 21st century shine
From the look we see in the trailer, there's something about the action thriller elements that allude to the 80s. Rambo film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. And as Saulnier spoke to Netflix about his admiration for gritty action films, this allusion makes perfect sense, as he shared the following:
“As a filmmaker, I like realistic action films from the 80s and 90s that not only offer spectacle, but also manage to link the chaos on screen with a real and true emotional component. The smaller the scale, the greater the impact. Less appearance, less artificiality.”
But Sauliner's upcoming action title appears to offer more than the typical violence we're used to seeing in crime movies, as it adds an underlying social commentary to the narrative in the form of a critique of current injustices within the police force. The trailer alone evokes the right dose of emotion, set against the backdrop of a corrupt political climate where authorities threaten local communities rather than protect them.
