Netflix Thriller Rebel Ridge Highlights New DC Star Aaron Pierre

HBO’s DC Universe series Lanterns presents a Western mystery drama built on the buddy cop dynamic between veteran space officer Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and rookie recruit John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre. Viewers will readily identify Chandler from his role as Coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights and his fatherly parts in Super 8, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Manchester by the Sea. Hal Jordan proves to be a far rougher guide than Coach Taylor. He antagonizes John by arriving late to training sessions and wrecking a vehicle while John sits in the passenger seat.

Pierre might be less familiar to general audiences, though he previously entered superhero territory as a Kryptonian warrior on Syfy’s Superman prequel series Krypton. Viewers looking to see why Pierre fits John Stewart should look to Rebel Ridge, writer-director Jeremy Saulnier’s Emmy-winning thriller released on Netflix in 2024. The film highlights Pierre’s physical prowess along with his ability to project calm, disciplined courtesy over fierce internal anger.

In Lanterns, John is a Marine sniper who continuously addresses the arrogant pilot Hal as sir, even when Hal does little to earn that deference. Pierre adopts a nearly identical posture in Rebel Ridge as Marine veteran Terry Richmond, who travels to Shelby Springs, Louisiana, to post bail for his cousin. The story begins with Terry riding his bicycle before two officers ram him from behind, make racist remarks, and seize his bail money through civil asset forfeiture. Terry absorbs the abuse with disciplined restraint.

The quiet pressure of a Black veteran trying to avoid violence in a rural community runs through Terry’s encounters in Shelby Springs and John’s interactions with residents in Rushville, Nebraska. Pierre gives both men a steady confidence. Neither seeks a fight, yet both know they can handle one. While John and Hal investigate an alien conspiracy in Lanterns, Terry confronts an institutional threat rooted in real-world bureaucracy.

A 2014 segment on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver examined civil asset forfeiture, a legal mechanism allowing police departments to seize property without filing criminal charges and use the proceeds to fund department budgets. Saulnier uses that policy to create a grounded obstacle for Terry. The local officers treat the seizure as routine revenue, unaware of Terry’s training and resolve.

Pierre excels at playing stoic characters who conceal their capabilities. Saulnier highlights that quality in understated moments, such as Terry methodically shaving after sleeping outdoors. Terry’s athletic conditioning becomes apparent when he pedals fast enough to keep up with a moving prison transport bus, rattling the driver inside. The conflict peaks when Terry confronts corrupt police chief Sandy Burnne, played by Don Johnson, who makes it clear the department will not release Terry’s cousin.

“You stopped calling me sir, which is about the only thing you had going for you,” the chief says.

“Well, that’s a courtesy I extend only so far,” Terry responds.

While Burnne mocks Terry, a humorous detail unfolds in the background. The department tries running a background check on Terry, hampered by a sluggish internet connection. The search reveals Terry never deployed overseas because he spent his military service training personnel in hand-to-hand combat. “I think he’s on the Wikipedia page,” an officer warns right before Terry disarms the chief.

The film gives Pierre ample room to display his action credentials. Terry relies on close-quarters, nonlethal martial arts techniques, subduing an entire police squad using smoke grenades and bare hands. His controlled approach fits the ethos of a hero who avoids lethal force while maintaining total command of the room.

Lanterns follows Earth’s veteran Green Lantern as he mentors the man destined to succeed him. Pierre brings the dramatic weight and physical authority necessary to carry a central hero in the DC Universe. For fans waiting between episodes of Lanterns, Rebel Ridge offers a sharp look at what Pierre can deliver when his character sets aside polite deference.

Rebel Ridge is available to stream on Netflix.

Source: Polygon