The Best Part Of Rebel Ridge Is Thanks To An Underrated DC Show With 80% On Rotten Tomatoes

One of the best parts of the hit Netflix movie Rebel Ridge was only included because of a forgotten and underrated show from the DC universe. There’s quite a bit to love about Rebel Ridge, as evidenced by how well it was received after its Netflix premiere. Reviews for Rebel Ridge praised the film – it received a critical score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes – and it topped Netflix’s global charts twice. There have even been calls for the movie to become a franchise, partially because Rebel Ridge set up a sequel, even though the film is just a month old.

From its political messages to its high-octane action and electrifying suspense, Rebel Ridge more than earned such praise, but Aaron Pierre still deserves a lot of credit for making it a success. Pierre played Terry Richmond, the ex-Marine and main protagonist of Rebel Ridge. Much of the praise that the film has received has been directed at Pierre specifically, yet Rebel Ridge would never have gotten him to play the lead role if it hadn’t been for the role that kick-started his career. That role came in a show based on DC Comics, and Pierre may soon have a unique chance to return to his superhero roots.

Aaron Pierre’s Breakout Came In DC’s Canceled Krypton Show, 6 Years Before Rebel Ridge

Years before he starred in Rebel Ridge, Aaron Pierre got his big break from a forgotten show about Superman’s home planet, Krypton, in 2018. Pierre played Dev-Em, a member of Krypton’s police force, the Sagitari. Though it was the show that brought Pierre into the public eye – as he would soon go on to star in acclaimed movies like Brother and shows like Genius – Krypton didn’t become nearly as popular. Krypton did earn a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%, and Krypton season 2’s reviews were even better, but the show was canceled in 2019. Luckily, that cancelation didn’t take away from Pierre’s momentum.

Rebel Ridge Proves Aaron Pierre Deserves To Be A Bigger Star

Aaron Pierre’s breakthrough role in Krypton led to several more successful movies and shows, and he eventually landed the lead role in Rebel Ridge. Pierre was tremendous as Terry Richmond, and he nailed every part of his complex and compelling character. Be it demanding action scenes that saw Terry take down corrupt cops with martial arts or quietly thrilling moments that highlighted Terry’s expertly contained rage and quiet plotting, Pierre delivered on all accounts. He was the glue that held Rebel Ridge together, and he also gave the film a lot of its emotional punch and nuance.

Pierre’s performance in Rebel Ridge also highlights an important fact about the actor: he deserves to be a much bigger star than he currently is. While playing Terry, Pierre proved that he’s a master of so many important acting talents, from physically demanding action to naturally delivering dialogue in both heated and friendly exchanges. Those skills make Pierre one of the best dramatic actors currently working, and he deserves more chances to prove that. Luckily, he may have the perfect opportunity just over the horizon.

Aaron Pierre Would Actually Be Perfect For A Different DC TV Show

Even though he already played a Kryptonian, there’s another DC character that Aaron Pierre would be perfect for: John Stewart, one of the most famous Green Lanterns. Luckily, there’s already a show in development about the Green Lanterns, simply titled Lanterns, in development, and even better, Pierre is already on the short list to play John Stewart in Lanterns. It makes sense that James Gunn, the recently appointed head of DC Studios, picked Pierre as one of the top contenders to play the iconic Green Lantern, especially considering how well his acting skills fit the character.

In the comics, the Green Lantern Corps essentially serve as an intergalactic police force of highly trained soldiers, and John Stewart is the perfect example of that concept. He was a former U.S. Marine with all the physical and tactical training such military service entails, just like Terry Richmond in Rebel Ridge. In fact, Rebel Ridge has perfectly prepared Aaron Pierre for the role: all the things he had to convey about Terry, from his strategic brilliance to his sense of justice and desire to help others, will apply doubly to John Stewart. The only thing Pierre is missing is a Lantern ring.

If Aaron Pierre is chosen to play John Stewart, it would serve as the perfect homage to the start of his rise to fame, Krypton. It’s almost poetic: Pierre would go from playing a supporting character in a largely forgotten show to playing one of the most important superheroes in the DC universe’s revival. That shift would also perfectly symbolize Pierre’s career and his rise in both popularity and talent. Aaron Pierre has a chance to take his acting career full-circle, and it’s at least in part due to his performance in Rebel Ridge.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes