Matt Damon And Ben Affleck's Action Thriller Is The First Must-Watch 2026 Movie Streaming On Netflix
by Danielle Ryan · /FilmThere are some actor duos whose team-ups are automatically must-see cinema, and Boston bros Ben Affleck and Matt Damon definitely fit that bill. Joining the ranks of greats like Paul Newman and Robert Redford, these two multi-hyphenate actors/writers/directors have been absolutely killing it together on the big screen for some 30 years. Now, they've teamed up with "Smokin' Aces" and "The Grey" director Joe Carnahan for "The Rip," a gritty action flick about crooked cops, and it's available on Netflix for anyone with a subscription to stream.
"The Rip" stars Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Affleck as Detective Sergeant JD Byrne, who are working to investigate a tip that corrupt police officers might be stealing money from the drug houses that they raid. After one such raid goes a little differently than expected, Byrne starts to suspect Dumars of being dishonest himself, beginning a potentially deadly game of deceit. Look, any team-up involving Damon and Affleck deserves at least a little love, but when they do something as unexpected and different as "The Rip"? That's absolutely worth checking out.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck together in an action thriller is what cinema's about
More often than not, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck team up for comedies, and while that can be a lot of fun, seeing them stretch their dramatic muscles together is a real treat. While our review found "The Rip" to be a bit too grim for its own good, there is something special about seeing Affleck and Damon together in this kind of movie, as opposed to yet another "Jay and Silent Bob" sequel. (No shade, it's just nice to see something different for once!)
Other reviewers were a bit more positive on the film, which is currently sitting at an 84% fresh score with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Positive reviews praise the movie's B-movie vibe and the cinematic chemistry between Damon and Affleck, which honestly is what most audiences are going for anyway.
Director Joe Carnahan revealed in an exclusive interview with /Film that he was inspired by the late great Tony Scott for "The Rip" and that he really wanted to use the unique relationship between Affleck and Damon in real life to deepen the conflict between their characters, making for a bit of meta-context you don't usually see in corrupt cop thrillers. Putting two guys who have been best friends since childhood in real life together onscreen as people who have to trust one another and can't is great stuff, and even if "The Rip" doesn't seem like your cup of tea, the Damon/Affleck goodness is too much to ignore.
"The Rip" is now streaming on Netflix.