Movie Review: ‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’
In Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon,” Sofia Boutella plays Kora, the reluctant hero from a peaceful colony who is about to realize she’s her people’s last hope. “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire” is the latest sci-fi action film from genre expert Zack Snyder, who is following up “Army of the Dead” with another team film that follows some very familiar concepts and character types. It opens in theaters on December 15 for a limited run before streaming on Netflix on December 21.It is in no way surprising that this began life as a pitch Snyder presented to Lucasfilm way back in the days before Disney snapped it up. That Kathleen Kennedy passed on his side story set in that galaxy far, far is both good and bad news, and particularly positive if you’re a fan of the director’s distinctive visuals and action sense, as it’s full of both.
Should you head to ‘Rebel Moon’?
Depending on what you were hoping to get out of the film, your response to it may vary. If you were hoping for a grandiose science fiction epic with a cast of tenacious underdogs fighting a strong empire that is putting an end to any sign of rebellion, well. If you’ve seen “Star Wars,” this could be a good backup option. The main problem with the film may be that, even with all the new terms and characters, everything feels really, really done before. The opening scene, which opens on a massive, menacing spacecraft before panning down to a planet where someone is working on a farm, feels less like a tribute to George Lucas who, let’s not forget, stole heavily to create his own space opera and more like Yet with its own mythology to build and some compelling sequences, ‘Rebel Moon’ does find the confidence to stand on its own, even if what remains is not as memorable as some of the classics it is referencing.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the movie might be that despite all the unfamiliar names for words and characters, it all feels very done before. Opening on a giant, lurking space vessel and then panning down to a planet where someone is engaged in farm work feels less like crafting a homage to George Lucas (who, let’s not forget, borrowed liberally to create his own space opera) and more like cribbing from his homework. And not just Lucas there are elements that you’ll recognize from the likes of ‘Serenity’, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Terminator’ and many, many more.
‘Rebel Moon’: Script and Direction
After years of letting the idea simmer in the back of Snyder’s mind, he finally put some serious effort into it with regular coworkers Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead, Day Shift, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Kurt Johnstad, and the two have created a largely enjoyable journey through space. They have constructed the story of Kora in such a way that it seems as though they were all thinking about other spin-offs and stories before actually making this one tick over. They do this by using the trope of the “Seven Samurai,” which is of oppressed people trying to hire warriors to fight an approaching enemy on their behalf. Nevertheless, “Part One” does, in its defense, tell the whole story before the unavoidable cliffhanger setting up the
‘Rebel Moon’: Performances
The film puts together a strong cast, but it doesn’t always give them enough to do anything more than play out clichés. The early going centers on Sofia Boutella’s character, Kora, and she more than lives up to the challenge of portraying this well-known lead character with a troubled past. As for the rest, they’re a mixed bag: Charlie Hunnam sports a perhaps ill-judged Irish (space-Irish?) accent as the roguish Kai, who initially helps her look for the others who will help fight back when the forces of the Motherworld (read: Empire) threaten the peaceful community she’s trying to make a new start in. Michiel Huisman has some charm as the naïve farmer who is in over his head, while mostly everyone else gets their action-packed introduction or moment to shine later when the baddies led by Ed Skrein’s Admiral finally track them down.
‘Rebel Moon’: Final Thoughts
“Rebel Moon” is Zack Snyder at his peak, for better or worse. Remember that Part Two, subtitled “The Scargiver,” will be available on Netflix on April 19 if this one doesn’t satisfy your appetite for more. Although the writer/director indulges in genre-hopping, taking small, sometimes better, cues from other films and stories, the finished product is not always equal to the sum of its parts. At best, it’s a thrilling science fiction adventure with intriguing visuals.