Netflix’s 10/10 Action Thriller Is the Perfect Introduction to the DC Universe’s Newest Star
Polygon recommends Netflix's Rebel Ridge as essential viewing for anyone curious about Aaron Pierre, who plays rookie space cop John Stewart alongside Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan in HBO's new DC series Lanterns. The 2024 action thriller, directed by Jeremy Saulnier, is highlighted as the clearest showcase of the physical skill and simmering intensity Pierre brings to his live-action superhero debut, making it an ideal primer before Lanterns airs.
In Rebel Ridge, Pierre plays Marine veteran Terry Richmond, who travels to the fictional Louisiana town of Shelby Springs to bail out his cousin, only to have corrupt police steal the money under civil asset forfeiture laws. The article draws parallels between Terry's disciplined restraint in the face of racist, entrenched local power and John Stewart's deferential treatment of his undeserving mentor Hal in Lanterns, arguing Pierre excels at both roles by conveying quiet menace and hidden depth beneath a controlled exterior. Don Johnson co-stars as the film's antagonist, corrupt police chief Sandy Burnne.
- Polygon recommends Rebel Ridge as a primer for Aaron Pierre's Lanterns role.
- Pierre plays a wronged Marine veteran battling corrupt police in the 2024 film.
- Parallels drawn between his restrained intensity in both roles.
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Rebel Ridge is a 2024 Netflix action thriller directed by Jeremy Saulnier, in which a Marine veteran travels to a small Louisiana town to bail out his cousin and finds himself pitted against a corrupt local police force. It stars Aaron Pierre, a British actor who has since been cast in his first live-action superhero role, playing rookie space cop John Stewart in HBO's new series Lanterns, alongside Kyle Chandler as veteran hero Hal Jordan.
The connection between the two projects lies in Pierre himself. Commentators point to his performance in Rebel Ridge, playing a controlled, physically capable man holding back simmering anger in the face of injustice, as a useful indicator of the qualities he brings to his DC role.
This matters for readers trying to gauge expectations for Lanterns, a major new entry in the DC Universe, and for anyone curious about the background of its lead actor before the series airs.