A streaming movie about a man who takes on small town corruption has roots in real life. The legal nightmare of civil forfeiture isn't fiction for some Americans.

While the story is set in a fictional town called Shelby Springs, star Aaron Pierre tells PEOPLE the movie was filmed in New Orleans and Leesville, La.

The following contains spoilers for Krypton and Netflix's Rebel Ridge. Netflix has hit it big with Jeremy Saulnier's Rebel Ridge. This cop movie is topping the streaming charts in many regions. Most of all,

But more than that, I love how the Rebel Ridge ending defies action movie conventions. Come with me as I break down the explosive conclusion of the gritty revenge thriller, what I hope it means for the genre moving forward, and what the film’s director has to say about his new approach to violence.