Matt Damon is no stranger to the darker corners of cinema. From the chilling sociopathy of The Talented Mr. Ripley to the claustrophobic existential dread of The Martian, Damon has often flourished when the stakes are high and the atmosphere is heavy. His latest venture, the Netflix crime thriller The Rip, appears to be cut from that same visceral cloth. Currently on a press tour that has taken him into the heart of the awards season, Damon sat down with Netflix’s Skip Intro podcast to discuss the film’s gritty reality, his work with Christopher Nolan, and his blunt take on the current state of Hollywood campaigning.
The Visceral Appeal of 'The Rip'
For horror fans, the 'crime thriller' is often a sibling genre that provides the same adrenaline-fueled tension and psychological exploration we crave. The Rip, which is currently streaming on Netflix, leans heavily into these elements. While the plot details have been kept under wraps to preserve the shocks, the film is being described as a descent into a moral abyss—a theme that resonates deeply within the horror community. Damon’s portrayal of a man pushed to his breaking point suggests a level of intensity that mirrors the best psychological slashers, focusing on the horror of what humans are capable of when cornered.
At ScreamDesk, we’ve always maintained that the most effective scares come from a place of grounded, human desperation. The Rip seems to double down on this, trading supernatural entities for the cold, hard reality of consequence. In the podcast, Damon touched upon the physical and emotional toll of the production, hinting at a project that doesn't shy away from the uglier aspects of its narrative.
Christopher Nolan and the Death of Celluloid
The conversation inevitably turned to Damon's frequent collaborator, Christopher Nolan. Having recently worked on Nolan’s The Odyssey, Damon shared a somber reflection on the state of the industry. He noted that The Odyssey felt like the “last big movie on film” that he might ever make. For genre purists, there is a certain horror in the slow death of physical film. The grain, the texture, and the lighting associated with 35mm and 70mm have defined the look of classic horror for decades.
Nolan, a filmmaker known for infusing his epics with a sense of cosmic dread and overwhelming scale, represents a bastion of traditional filmmaking. Damon’s realization that the era of massive celluloid productions might be closing is a haunting thought for those who appreciate the tactile nature of the medium. The transition to digital, while efficient, often lacks the haunting, organic imperfections that make a thriller feel truly alive.
The 'Backwards' Nature of the Oscar Race
Perhaps most surprisingly, Damon didn't hold back when discussing the modern awards circuit. Despite being a multi-time nominee and a winner for Good Will Hunting, he described the process of Oscar campaigning as “backwards.” He suggested that the focus on the “race” often overshadows the art itself, turning creative achievements into a political marathon. For fans of underground or indie horror—genres frequently overlooked by the Academy—Damon’s critique feels particularly poignant.
As The Rip continues to climb the Netflix charts, it serves as a reminder that the best thrillers don't need a gold statue to leave a mark on the audience. Whether he is navigating the high-seas tension of a Nolan epic or the grounded brutality of a Netflix thriller, Matt Damon remains a pivotal figure in films that challenge, disturb, and entertain. We’ll be keeping a close eye on The Rip to see just how deep its dark heart goes.