Rebel Ridge: Finally, an Action Movie I Really Love as a Female Viewer

When you think of action movies, you know the drill—hyper-masculine male leads, loud explosions, over-the-top fight scenes, and special effects that outshine the plot. As a female viewer, I’ve never really been into this genre. And honestly, that’s not surprising since action films aren’t typically aimed at women. But why not?

Funny enough, I actually started paying attention to Rebel Ridge because a lot of people were complaining that it didn’t feel like a proper action movie—it wasn’t “exciting” enough. Well, that got me interested.

Action movies usually don’t appeal to women. After all, not everyone wants to watch two hours of fists and bullets flying, especially when women are often on the receiving end of violence. I’m not going to dive too deep into that issue, though. So what makes Rebel Ridge different for me? It strikes a perfect balance. It doesn’t rely solely on the shock value of action scenes, but instead, it finds a smart mix between brain and brawn.

This restrained approach to "action" made me realize that it’s not that I dislike action movies, but I dislike movies that throw in fight scenes just for the sake of it.

Rebel Ridge has a pretty 'calm' pace, which is one of the reasons some viewers didn’t like it—but it’s also one of the reasons I did. Instead of rushing to have the characters punch or shoot each other, it slowly builds up their motivations and backstories through a well-written script. Terry Richmond (played by Aaron Pierre) isn’t just out for simple revenge or to show off his strength; his actions are driven by a sense of duty to his family and a quest for justice. His relationship with Summer (AnnaSophia Robb), the court clerk, is built on trust and collaboration, not the typical "hero saving the damsel" trope you usually see in action movies. This setup breaks away from gender stereotypes, giving the female character more agency and intelligence.

Sure, random acts of violence between individuals can be enraging, but what’s more frustrating and painful is structural and systemic violence. And that’s where Rebel Ridge surprised me—it digs deep into the corruption within the American police and judicial system, exploring the complex relationship between power and justice.

There’s even a joke in the movie that adds more depth to the story: after Terry gets shot and is saved by a Chinese restaurant owner who turns out to be a former army medic from the Korean War, Summer says, "Thank you for your service," only for Terry to point out that the guy fought for the other side. Ha! What even is justice? The world is all about different positions and interests.

Oh, and let’s not forget how captivating Terry is—from his looks to his performance, everything about him really grabs your attention. A good character is the basis of a good story. I heard that John Boyega originally played Terry, but he bailed halfway through filming, and Aaron Pierre stepped in. I have to say, he did an amazing job—a fresh face with a powerful presence. I have a hunch he’s going to be the next big action star.

Now things are getting clear: action movies can be subtle, restrained; they can go deeper into emotions and strategic battles; they can have female characters who don’t need saving by the male lead. So maybe it’s not that I wasn’t suited for watching action films, but that most action films before just hadn’t found the right formula.

One bittersweet thing that crossed my mind while watching Rebel Ridge was the memory of watching Prison Break and 24 with my dad when I was a kid. Back then, we’d be glued to the TV, anxious over the fates of the lead characters. That was over a decade ago, and we haven’t shared moments like that since. Maybe it’s because action films just got dumber over time, with plots and fight scenes that were simply hard to watch, which deepened my bias against the genre. Or maybe it’s because, as I grew up and saw the realities of how gender dynamics play out in society, I have felt more and more disappointed in my father…