It’s been nearly 30 years since Good Will Hunting. In all that time, we’ve seen Ben Affleck and Matt Damon continue to do films together. They have a great rapport, and their mere presence is often enough to draw an audience. Netflix hopes that continues today with The Rip, a new action film from writer/director Joe Carnahan.

In the film, Damon and Affleck play cops. They’re good friends and they’re part of a special unit. But they’ve recently suffered a loss. Their captain (Lina Esco) has been murdered. That’s hit their unit hard and prompted some questions about who did it, and whether a rogue group of cops is bent on ripping off stash houses.

In the wake of a tense meeting with the bosses, and the Feds, Lt. Dane Dumars (Damon) has a tip about a potential stash house. He grabs the team—Detectives J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck), Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno)—and heads to check it out. They’re technically off the clock, pulling a quick search.

The only person at the house is Desi (Sasha Calle), and she seems guarded. It’s her grandmother’s house, and she claims not to know much. Her grandmother died and the house is in probate. When the team uncovers a major haul—much more than Dane expected—it leads to a frenzy.

Is Dane there to conduct a search and seizure, or is he there to steal the money? What about the rest of the team? And who might be standing in their way?

It’s a simple premise that leads to plenty of action. Carnahan knows his way around a gritty, action-fueled story. He’s previously delivered films like Narc, Boss Level, and last year’s Shadow Force. He’s got a feel for action and for gritty stories and characters, here crafting the screenplay and working on the screen story.

Here’ he’s blessed with a solid story and a great cast. In addition to those mentioned, the cast includes Kyle Chandler, Scott Adkins, and Nestor Carbonell. Everyone does a nice job sinking into their characters, and the mystery around everyone’s motivations works well into the third act.

There is also plenty of big action sequences. But it’s the third act, when the twists are revealed, the big questions are answered, and the action kicks into high gear that gives it a nice cap. This is a solid action film and a good addition to the streaming lineup in early 2026. It’s not incredible, but it’s a fun enough ride.

I also enjoyed the softer coda, which makes good use of the acting talent of Damon and Affleck. If you’re looking for a good time, this fits the bill. The Rip is now streaming on Netflix.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.