Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have dropped an exciting new police thriller on Netflix called The Rip. An adrenaline-pumping ride influenced by some of the biggest crime classics from the 1970s and 1980s.
Joe Carnahan, director of The Rip, has cited the influence of some iconic examples while also being inspired by a "deeply personal experience that my friend went through, both as a father and as head of tactical narcotics for the Miami Dade police department."
Carnahan further added, "It's inspired in part by his life and then, by my enduring love for those classic '70s cop thrillers that really valued the character and interpersonal relationships and became touchstones of that era — films like Serpico and Prince of the City and, more recently, Michael Mann's Heat.”
If you’ve seen The Rip already and loved it, here's five recommendations that previously ventured into similar terrain.
PRINCE OF THE CITY
From director Sidney Lumet, who should be credited for influencing many subsequent films about corrupt cops. Treat Williams leads a three-hour crime epic frought with paranoia, guilt, and nervous energy.
COP LAND
Featuring arguably Sylvester Stallone's finest performance, the film is bolstered by the strong presence of integral characters played by Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Ray Liotta. It was directed by James Mangold ("Ford vs Ferrari", "Logan").
DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE
Directed by S. Craig Zahler, and fronted by Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn, with strong supporting turns from Don Johnson and Michael Jai White, Dragged Across Concrete is an unapologetic crime thriller that's not in a rush to get where it's going. Zahler is quite an underappreciated filmmaker whose work deserves wider attention. To me, he is the rightful successor of Quentin Tarantino.
MAGNUM FORCE
The second entry in actor Clint Eastwood's 'Dirty Harry' movie series, it follows Eastwood's hero Harry Callahan investigating multiple killings perpetrated by a group of vigilante police officers.
BLACK RAIN
I have a soft spot for this Ridley Scott feature starring Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia as two cops who head to Japan to arrest a dangerous criminal. I've seen this film plenty of times. The music by Hans Zimmer is one of the composer's best works.
Honorable mentions: Internal Affairs, L.A. Confidential, Khakee, Rebel Ridge, Training Day, The Departed, Serpico, Infernal Affairs trilogy
