Standing 6’ 3’’ without an ounce of fat on his enormous frame, Aaron Pierre (Foe, The Underground Railroad) is a ferociously imposing presence in Rebel Ridge. That’s augmented by the calmness and politeness with which his character confronts his enemies. Speaking in a composed manner no matter the racially charged provocations hurled his way, and perpetually referring to antagonists as “sir”—at least, until they no longer warrant this respect—Pierre’s Terry Richmond is a titan unburdened by a hair-trigger temper.
Nonetheless, he’s not a man to be trifled with in Jeremy Saulnier’s feature, which premieres Sept. 6 on Netflix, about a military vet who runs afoul of crooked small-town cops. The writer/director’s first feature since 2018’s Hold the Dark doesn’t ultimately put its star through the slam-bang paces often enough, but as a human weapon pushed to the limit, the actor proves ideally fit for such rugged genre environs.
On a country road in the rural enclave off Shelby Springs, Terry rides his bike while wearing a backpack and listening via headphones to Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast.” Terry’s metal mix makes him unaware of the police car behind him, although he certainly notices it when it rear ends him, sending him and his possessions sprawling onto the asphalt.
