Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's new Netflix thriller will keep you guessing until the very last second.

The world's favourite besties, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, are back together and all is right in the world again. 

In Joe Carnahan's The Rip, the iconic pair return to the screen not just as collaborators, but as the emotional anchor of a high-stakes descent into greed. Set against the neon-soaked, sweat-drenched backdrop of Miami's narcotics underworld, the film proves that even after decades, that signature Affleck-Damon chemistry is the gold standard for on-screen brotherhood. 

The new Netflix film centres on a tactical police unit that unravels after discovering $20 million in untraceable cash during what should have been a routine raid.

What follows isn't your standard action procedural; it is a transformation into a tense psychological thriller. Veteran officers and lifelong friends Detective Sergeant JD Byrne (Affleck) and Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Damon) find their professional ethics and personal loyalty tested as the presence of the money triggers immediate internal conflict.

Watch: The trailer for The Rip. Article continues after video.

As word of the cash spreads to rival criminal organisations, the unit becomes the target of both external threats and internal sabotage. The film shifts into a super claustrophobic, "who can I actually trust?" nightmare. It is all neon lights and high-speed paranoia, capturing that visceral feeling when you realise the person sitting next to you might actually be your biggest problem.

Ultimately, the officers are forced to navigate a landscape where the distinction between the law and the streets has vanished, leaving them to decide if their brotherhood can survive the weight of the theft.

Aside from the high-stakes plot, The Rip has an incredible cast. Damon and Affleck are joined by a powerhouse ensemble including Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler, Néstor Carbonell, and Lina Esco.

Image: Netflix

Overall, I loved this movie. As an action fan, this was fun. Not in a cheap, mindless way (although I am never one to say no to a silly comedy-action either), but in a way that gripped me from beginning to end — I found myself holding my breath throughout the movie. 

My one critique of the film is that it is very complex, which would typically be a good thing. However, in this case, I don't think the movie spent enough time setting up the premise and the highly-specific setting of the police world.

There was a lot of industry-specific lingo that was thrown around in the first act, much of which left me confused. Context was certainly missing in the early parts of the film but, by the end, it all comes together. 

However, this ambiguous storytelling and deliberate pacing are so essential to this movie. It builds this massive house of cards that makes the eventual collapse feel totally earned. 

Throughout the entire descent, the atmosphere is just relentless. The film creates this total sensory overload of dread that keeps you pinned to the edge of your seat, but it never loses its soul in the process. 

Image: Netflix

That is largely thanks to the chemistry between Damon and Affleck, which — to literally no one's surprise — remains the absolute heart of the movie. Their shared history allows them to convey years of unspoken trust and simmering resentment with just a single glance. They ground all that surrounding chaos in genuine emotion, making sure that even when the world is exploding around them, the highest stakes are always found in the crumbling bond between two old friends.

I would be remiss not to mention the standout performance by Steven Yeun in this movie. Not that there was any doubt to begin with, this man has consistently turned in incredible performance after incredible performance. From Beef and Burning to Minari and The Walking Dead, there's nothing this man can't do. 

If you're looking for a well-made, gritty thriller — and a reminder that Ben and Matt are the two best friends in the entire world — The Rip is definitely worth the stream.

Feature Image: Netflix.