“The Rip,” the latest action movie from Netflix starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, racked up 41.6M views in just its first three days on the platform. It’s also the ninth biggest debut in Netflix history.
This is an impressive launch for a film with a $100M budget and marks Netflix’s strongest movie debut since last summer’s “Happy Gilmore 2,” which drew 46.7M views in July. The performance also propelled The Rip to the top spot among all Netflix titles for the week of January 12–19.
“The Rip” follows a group of Miami cops whose trust begins to unravel after they find millions in cash inside a derelict stash house. Once word of the haul leaks out, things get messy, and no one knows whom they can trust anymore.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, a filmmaker known for both hits and misses, “The Rip” delivers a mixed bag. The film starts off strong, with tense moments and some intrigue, but becomes bogged down by mindless, glossy, Netflix-ized action in its final stretch.
Nevertheless, Carnahan will likely consider this a win, especially following last year’s perfunctory “Shadow Force,” which cost $50M and was a critical and commercial disappointment, earning only $4.5M worldwide.
As I wrote a few days ago, Carnahan’s 2002 breakout “Narc” is still the best thing he’s done — raw, intense, and stylish in all the right ways. Everything since has lived in its shadow. He’s leaned hard into pulpy, high-octane genre fare. His other notable credits include “The Grey,” “Smokin’ Aces,” “Copshop,” “Stretch,” “Boss Level,” and “The A-Team.”
Biggest Netflix debuts
“Red Notice” 75.6M views
“Back in Action” 46.8M
“Happy Gilmore 2” 46.7M
“Don’t Look Up” 46.6M
“The Mother” 42.9M
“Extraction 2” 42.8M
“Carry-On” 42M
“Leave the World Behind” 41.7M
“The Rip” 41.6M
“Primetime” doesn’t really go beyond being a good movie. For all of its outrageous entertainment value, it ultimately feels like a stylishly conceived riff on a ridiculous show and its even more ridiculous host.