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One of the year's most popular films comes in the form of a reunion that cinema fans have been waiting for years. It was a huge $100 million production that teased a white-knuckle journey where its two handsome leads would try to beat the odds when they became trapped in a seemingly inescapable situation. This is one situation no one prepared them for.
Courtesy of Netflix and its ever-growing slate of original programming, this action thriller is one of 2026's most thrilling, but it also brings together an iconic pair made famous by their joint win at the Academy Awards decades ago. Years may have passed since then, but this highly successful movie proves that they're still capable of capturing the attention of audiences and delivering a genuinely riveting thriller.
An Iconic On-Screen Duo Reunites in 'The Rip'
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star inThe Ripas Dane Dumars and J.D. Byrne, two leaders of a task force in the Miami-Dade Police Department. The Tactical Narcotics Team is facing an investigation after one of their own is murdered, and all evidence points to the murder being an inside job. Although there are corruption rumors about cops getting ahold of drug money, the team stays together, and they head out to follow up on a tip about a house that may have a stash of drug money inside.
However, when they arrive, they realize this isn't just a couple of hidden bundles of cash. It is actually $20 million in cartel money, and their assignment is just the beginning in a series of events that reveal a larger conspiracy at play. In the end, the loyalty the two leaders thought was unbreakable has become a bit more fragile as they start suspecting each other.
The Action Genre Claims the Throne of Netflix's Most Popular Movies
According to a Netflix press release, the most watched films of the year so far fall within the action genre. The news comes from a report that summarizes the streamer's engagement with home viewers in the first half of the year. Most of its highest-performing content comes from original productions (both in TV shows and films), and though there's variety, action is a huge part of the Top 10 list.
Released in early March, Reacher star Alan Ritchson's sci-fi action movie War Machine is the absolute winner of the year, as it garnered 147 million views from January to June 2026. The Rip comes in close second with 136 million views after its January release. Other action movies in the top 10 list of most-watched movies of 2026 include Apex and Thrash, both standing above the 100-million views line.
The Rip was written and directed by Joe Carnahan, the action visionary responsible for movies like Narc, The Grey, and Smokin' Aces, among others. After a few years of making lesser-known action movies, Carnahan teamed up with Damon and Affleck, who decided to back the project through their production label. The film also boasts an impressive supporting cast that includes Steven Yeun, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Néstor Carbonell.
