This piece contains spoilers for Rebel Ridge, which premiered on Netflix on Sept. 6.

Aaron Pierre recalled exactly how he felt when he reached the end of the script for Netflix s Rebel Ridge.

In the high-velocity action-thriller, the 30-year-old actor plays an ex-marine named Terry Richmond who, after a volatile encounter with a pair of dirty cops, faces off against an entire, nearly all-white police force. In perhaps the films biggest twist, Pierres character survives the violent battle which includes shootouts, hand-to-hand combat and even jiu-jitsu through the very end, something even he couldnt believe initially.

I remember the first time I read it. Of course, on the way to the end of the script, I was super hyped, and I was on this wild, energized ride with Terry, Pierre said over Zoom. But I did have this nervousness when I was reading it for the first time, like, All of this is cool and dope, but whats going to happen to my boy?

From the start, Rebel Ridge thrusts Terry into an unraveling tale about systemic injustice, institutional corruption, prejudice and greed in the small Southern town of Shelby Springs. It begins with the protagonist on an urgent mission to post bail for his cousin, whos been arrested. Along the way, hes abruptly stopped by the police, who seize his life savings and derail his plan to save his cousins life. His means of resolution almost turn deadly during a fight with local police Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), especially after Terry uncovers a sinister criminal conspiracy stemming from the police department. However, unlike the common outcome we see in real-life escalated situations involving Black people and police, director-writer Jeremy Saulnier envisioned a different conclusion for Terry one where the Black man lives.

I wanted to see if I can get this guy across the finish line, Saulnier said of the movies intentions on Zoom. If so, how might that actually play out? Because we all know, having Terry Richmond go toe-to-toe with the officers, certain things needed to happen to get him across the finish line. I was very cognizant of that as a storyteller and always looking for plausibility and emotional truth.