The hero and his mission

Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) is heading to the jail to post bail for his cousin Mike (C.J. LeBlanc) on his bicycle. Unfortunately, he encounters an obstacle when the officers who apprehend him take possession of all the cash he has assembled for the bail payment.

It seems that Terry never anticipated this kind of troublesome situation. Years after his service as a Marine, he finds himself employed at a Chinese restaurant, striving to avoid complications. However, his efforts to maintain a low profile are thwarted when he is stopped on his bicycle by two police officers in the town of Shelby Springs.

The conflict with the corrupt police department

As a result, Terry is thrust into a chaotic scenario marked by police misconduct and the entrenched prejudices of a small community. The police chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), is determined to undermine him, whereas court assistant Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), supports his cause.

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. She even points out, amusingly, that the court document for the case will simply read “The Township of Shelby Springs vs. $36,000.”

As the situation escalates to a life-threatening level, Terry is compelled to draw upon his enigmatic ex-marine past to dismantle the department’s influence over the community, seek justice for his family, and ensure Summer’s safety in the process. So, Terry’s distinctive abilities provide him with the means to escape this dire predicament.

They brought the fight. He’ll bring them down.

The writer & director use the idea of “cash asset forfeiture”

Terry makes a smart tactical decision and a mistake too

Being a smart and intelligent ex-marine, Terry chooses not to travel to Rebel Ridge. Instead, he sets his sights on the police station again, launching an assault on the armoury and incapacitating police chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). However, he is soon confronted by Deputy Jessica Sims (Zsané Jhé).

Terry, believing he has successfully evaded danger by assuming Deputy Jessica Sims is Summer’s informant, makes a critical misjudgment. Consequently, surrounded by the armed police officials, he finds himself bracing for the imminent threat of a bullet piercing his body, anytime.

Terry gets a couple of helping hands

Nevertheless, rescue comes from an unlikely police officer Evan Marston (David Denman). Interestingly, he was one of the officers responsible for Terry’s initial arrest and cash asset forfeiture. Terry quickly understands that Marston is the informant for Summer.

As Terry and the police prepare for a confrontation, the parking lot of the police station starts to mirror the war-torn landscape that Terry believed he had left behind after concluding his military service. So, as an ex-marine, Terry is left with no choice but to fight back and win against all odds.

Employing an array of equipment from the police armoury and his non-lethal techniques, Terry successfully neutralizes multiple officers, capturing the ensuing mayhem on a police cruiser’s dash cam. Following this, he and Marston rescue a drugged Summer and escape, with Burnne in relentless pursuit.

Finally, Terry wins and finds a moment of peace

At a critical juncture, Deputy Sims has a moment of realization and deliberately crashes into her superior, sending them off the road. Terry transports Marston and Summer to the hospital, ensures the dash cam is secured, and takes a seat on a nearby bench inside the hospital building. After enduring some of society’s most harrowing experiences—such as civil asset forfeiture, police brutality, and post-traumatic stress—he finally closes his eyes, finding a moment of peace.

The writer & director explain the last peaceful scene

“If there’s any one thing I’m going for, it’s simply to activate an involuntary response in the audience… As far as what an audience might take away from it all, that’s thankfully out of my hands now. But I’m fully at peace knowing I gave it everything I got.”

Jeremy Saulnier | Netflix