Any unexpected run-in with the police can be anxiety-inducing, especially when things take a turn like Terry Richmond experiences in Netflix’s Rebel Ridge. The crime action thriller landed on the streamer in early September, with Aaron Pierre playing the leading man – an ex-marine desperate to post bail for his cousin, Mike. As Terry rides his bike through the small town of Shelby Springs, two police officers harass and hit him with their car. After knocking him down, the cops uncover thousands of dollars in cash in Terry’s backpack, which was intended to go toward freeing Mike. Our Rebel Ridge ending explained analysis has plenty of spoilers, so don’t keep reading if you want to watch the movie first!
Deputies Steve Lann (Emory Cohen) and Evan Marston (David Denman) seized Terry’s money, not knowing he specialized in non-lethal combat in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. At first, the leading man hopes to reclaim his property peacefully, but Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) isn’t interested in making things easy. The police leader keeps his department funded with money seized through civil asset forfeiture, “a legal process in which police are allowed to keep and/or sell any property they allege has been involved with criminal activity, even before a trial has occurred,” as per People.
Is ‘Rebel Ridge’ Based on a True Story?
Stories of police force corruption are not uncommon in America. Still, writer and director Jeremy Saulnier told Tudum that Rebel Ridge wasn’t inspired by a specific event. “Elements of it could certainly happen,” he explained. “I’m interested in examining corrupt systems – not so much how they’re built, but how they persist. For this movie, I wanted to tap into how the rest of us react to said [corrupt] systems, from corrupt politicians down to the endless loop of a customer service call gone wrong.”
‘Rebel Ridge’ Ending Explained
The turning point in Rebel Ridge comes when Terry learns Mike was killed in prison. To get revenge, he plans to expose corruption in the Shelby Springs Police Department, but he can’t do it alone. Luckily, court assistant Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) has an informant on the inside that leads Terry to Judge Logston (James Cromwell) who admits to helping Burnne raise bail prices and keep defendants in “purgatory” for 90 days. It’s worth noting that this is how long dashcam footage is held before being deleted, therefore erasing evidence of the incarcerated’s wrongful imprisonment.
Summer joins Terry to break into the town hall and retrieve SD cards holding evidence, but she’s ultimately captured by police. Her companion hits back by kidnapping a rookie officer and an exchange of hostages is arranged to take place at Rebel Ridge. Instead of showing up there, Terry heads to the police station to face Burnne while his officers are away. Deputy Jessica Sims (Zsané Jhé) stops him, and the ex-marine mistakes her for Summer’s informant. When she hands him over to other officers, Summer’s actual insider, Deputy Marston, steps in only to be shot in the leg by Burnne.
Thanks to his special training, Terry helps his friends escape the shootout against the PD. The entire incident is captured via Marston’s dashcam footage, and a chase ensues to get the incriminating video back. Terry, Summer and Marston have a flat tire that limits their options, and knowing that Burnne and his team will use lethal force to protect themselves, they prepare for the worst.
In an unexpected twist, Deputy Sims comes to the rescue, flipping sides and ramming her vehicle in the chief’s SUV. Other cops in the area take note and change tune too, escorting Terry’s car to the hospital instead of further pursuing them. As they seek medical attention, Burnne is taken into custody by state police to face his karma. In the end, Terry retrieves the digital video recorder from Marston’s cruiser before sitting down on a hospital bench, leaving viewers to ponder what his next steps might be.
