Upamanyu Biswas
In the Netflix action thriller film, ‘Rebel Ridge,‘ a former Marine, Terry Richmond, comes face to face with a corrupt police force in the town of Shelby Springs. After the local authorities seize the bail money he collected for his cousin Mike, Terry has to take drastic measures to recover the cash. With the aid of a court clerk, Summer McBride, Terry uncovers a massive conspiracy lurking under the town’s fragile foundations. The pair manage to unearth the truth because of a secret informant within the police ranks codenamed Serpico, who is supplying intel to Summer. However, the source’s identity remains a mystery until the final moments of the movie! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Unexpected Identity of Serpico
Initially, Terry believes that Serpico is none other than Officer Jessica Sims. She is the only one from the force who shows a level of understanding and kindness towards Terry. When the protagonist takes Chief Sandy Burnne and Officer Steve Lann hostage at the Police Department, Jessica cooperates with him every step along the way. Moreover, she is somewhat ostracized in the force by not being allowed to go out on patrols like the others. For that and a lot more reasons, Terry believes that Serpico can only be one person inside the Shelby Springs P.D: Jessica. However, it turns out to be a red herring, as the real Serpico is none other than Officer Evan Marston.
In the movie’s beginning, Marston sweeps Terry off his cycle by hitting him with his police cruiser. The two get off to a poor start because of that, even more so because Marston seizes the bail money that Terry collected for his cousin, Mike. Therefore, the protagonist has no valid reason to believe that Serpico could be someone as seemingly corrupt as Marston. However, this turns out to be the perfect cover, as no one suspects Marston of being a double agent. In the end, Marston finally shows his true colors by defending Terry from being shot and executed in cold blood by Lann. The gesture costs Marston as Chief Burnne shoots him in the leg from behind.
Thus, it is during the showdown outside the Shelby Springs P.D. that Terry finally confirms Evan Marston as the real Serpico. Although he thought it had to be Jessica because of the empathy she displayed towards him, he was led astray by her naturally compassionate characteristics. It becomes even more clear when Jessica holds him at gunpoint and leads him outside the station. On the flip side, Marston’s cold demeanor towards Terry leaves the latter believing that there is no way he could be the one helping Summer. He blindly trusts what he sees on the surface, failing to spot the real Serpico hiding in plain sight. In that regard, Marston succeeds immeasurably.
Jessica’s Upstanding Attitude is Separate From Her Ties to Serpico
As Jessica seems to be the only good cop on the Shelby Springs P.D., Terry reasons that Serpico has to be her, logically lining up with his image of her. However, it might have been his assumptions playing against him, albeit not incorrectly. As soon as Terry walks into the police station, he gains a feel for the environment and the people who inhabit it. After several visits, he is able to gain insight into Jessica’s underlying character and personality from the exchanges they have. During one of the scenes, the police officer reveals to Terry that she has to drive an outdated car while the rest of the force gets cruisers. The protagonist reads it as a sign of her detachment from the corruption breeding inside the department.
Moreover, as the only black female police officer in a small southern town, Terry recognizes her as someone who is trying to do the right thing but has been delivered the short end of the stick throughout her career. Likewise, Jessica also senses Terry’s helplessness with regard to his situation and his attempt to post bail for his cousin. She decides to help him not because she is an undercover informant like Marston but more due to her own convictions and beliefs. The pair form an unspoken agreement with one another, and her help proves to be pivotal in the way things pan out in the end. However, it is a combination of her and Marston’s efforts that helps Summer and Terry blow the corrupt operation of the Shelby Springs P.D. to smithereens.
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