Netflix is set to release The Rip, a hard-boiled crime thriller featuring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, in January. The project is being guided by Joe Carnahan, a filmmaker whose name is closely tied to high-stakes cop and criminal worlds. A recent primer circulating online aims to help viewers catch up on Carnahan’s work before The Rip debuts, highlighting a mix of acclaimed titles and well-known misfires in his catalog.
Among Carnahan’s most praised titles is Copshop (2021), a tense, character-forward stand-off set in a police station that brings together Alexis Louder, Frank Grillo, and Gerard Butler. The film marks a return to Carnahan’s affinity for tightly wound, dialogue-driven confrontations amid sharp action. On-set difficulties during production have been acknowledged by Carnahan, but those tensions are not overtly reflected in the finished movie, which critics and fans have described as one of Butler’s stronger thrillers in recent years. The title later became available for streaming on Hulu, making it easier for viewers to sample Carnahan’s approach to siege-driven suspense.
The Grey, featuring Liam Neeson, is frequently cited as more of an existential survival thriller than a straightforward action picture. Neeson’s performance anchors the film as a man navigating a harsh natural landscape and relentless peril, underscoring Carnahan’s habit of centering tough, battle-scarred protagonists within rugged, high-stakes scenarios. Narc, Carnahan’s breakout feature, is likewise highlighted in the primer for its ferocious debut performance by Ray Liotta and for helping to establish Carnahan’s signature blend of grit and kinetic intensity. The movie’s raw energy has endured in discussions of Carnahan’s early career as a filmmaker willing to push genre boundaries.
Shadow Force, released this year, drew mixed notices for what critics described as a tonal and visual mismatch, with Carnahan’s action sequences failing to elevate the material to its potential. The A-Team, Carnahan’s 2010 adaptation of the classic TV property, is often cited as an uneven endeavor that nonetheless delivered brisk, if uneven, action entertainment for a certain audience. In contrast, Stretch (2014)—a later, less-remembered entry in Carnahan’s filmography—has been noted by some observers for its lean attitude and sharper sense of style, though it remains more of a cult curiosity than a mainstream standout. These titles illustrate the broad range of Carnahan’s projects—from high-energy ensemble pieces to more introspective survival stories.
Smokin’ Aces, Carnahan’s follow-up to Narc, has retroactively become a touchstone for fans of his work. The 2006 crime comedy features an all-star roster that, in retrospect, reads like a who’s who of the era: Affleck, a pre‑Deadpool Ryan Reynolds, a pre‑Star Trek Chris Pine, a mid-comeback Jason Bateman, and Ray Liotta among others. The film’s ensemble energy and deliberately chaotic tone helped cement Carnahan’s reputation for directing movies that relish kinetic mayhem and verbally breezy banter. The primer points to Smokin’ Aces as a cinephile favorite for those exploring Carnahan’s pre-The Rip-era output and its influence on the crime-thriller landscape.
The primer’s framing of The Rip places it in a lineage of Carnahan’s crime cinema and notes that the Netflix project arrives roughly two decades after Narc, around the era in which Smokin’ Aces helped elevate Carnahan’s profile. The movie’s stacked cast, including Damon and Affleck along with a broad ensemble, is presented as part of a deliberate, self-conscious approach to ensemble chaos that Carnahan has long embraced. The piece also highlights how Affleck’s collaboration with Carnahan has evolved since Smokin’ Aces, and how The Rip could represent a new apex for their on-screen dynamic within a contemporary streaming-era landscape.
Viewers seeking a fuller sense of Carnahan’s craft before The Rip’s debut can consider Copshop for its disciplined tension and sturdy performances; The Grey for its philosophical undertones and stark arctic atmosphere; Narc for its unvarnished directorial debut and Liotta’s ferocious turn; and Smokin’ Aces for a headline-grabbing ensemble that showcased Carnahan’s ability to choreograph a noisy, high-velocity crossfire of personalities. Each film offers a different facet of Carnahan’s approach to crime storytelling, from intimate, character-focused standoffs to sprawling, bombastic capital-G genre cinema. The primer’s recommended slate serves as a road map for audiences aiming to gauge the range Carnahan brings to The Rip, and to understand how his signature style might inform the Netflix project’s mood and pacing.
As The Rip moves toward its release window, film fans can anticipate a collaboration that embodies Carnahan’s penchant for pulsing energy, morally ambiguous figures, and complex, multi-thread plotting. The Netflix movie’s January debut will mark another chapter in a career defined by bold, sometimes polarizing choices, and it may prompt renewed interest in the director’s broader body of work. The primer provides a lens through which viewers can contextualize The Rip within Carnahan’s career trajectory, the evolving landscape of streaming crime thrillers, and the enduring appeal of ensemble conflict in genre storytelling.