Movie Review | ‘Rebel Moon All Slowmo Action, No Character Development
Finally, director Zack Snyder brought to the screen an idea he'd had since college for a Star Wars-themed space opera.
While “Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire” — which was released on Netflix last week after a limited theatrical run, will be followed on the streaming service in April by “Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver” — so is state. Influenced by The Lord of the Rings, Twelve Bastards and others, it has a lot in common with the 1977 film now titled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
There is an evil galactic empire. Swords that look like lightsabers. Poor pilot. Similar bot. Argument at the bar. More importantly, the Christ figure of agricultural existence.
But watching the first "Rebel Moon" movie, we can't help but wonder if it was Snyder's specific idea to make a "Star Wars" but without any of the fun aspects.
And what about the "Star Wars" intros?
NO. Even less fun than that.
(overturn.)
Snyder — whose credits include 2006's "300" and several DC Extended Universe films, including 2021's much-talked-about "Zack Snyder's Justice League" and Netflix's "Army of the Dead" later that year - a great story, but soulless. It starts with some promise, but bores for over two hours with the violent, slow-motion action the director is known for.
Instead of the opening costume, Snyder gives us an account of the great Anthony Hopkins, who - in a film that includes character names like Titus, Nemesis and Devra Bloodaxe - goes by... Jimmy. We meet a king, a princess and the mother world, who are using their army, the Empire, to try to suppress the growing resistance, a sort of rebel alliance, if you will.
We then meet the good people of a village on the Veldt moon, who can produce a small surplus of food after harvesting grain for themselves, and where a mysterious stranger named Cora (Sofia Boutella) inhabits the land and helps the farmer.
An Imperium warship arrives on the planet and the villagers are visited by a force led by Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein), an officer who exudes dangerous Nazi sentiments and demands that they produce so much food for the army that no there's enough. Let him. Eat.
Although she initially plans to leave the veldt, Cora soon encounters soldiers on her way to Sam (Charlotte Magee), a beautiful young woman. It's not long before she and Gunnar (Michiel Huismann, "The Air Stewardess"), who oversees the harvest, begin recruiting others willing to help them fight the Empire.
So far... well.
Their first recruit is Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a self-described "opportunistic" pilot, who takes them to other parts of the galaxy, where they recover an enemy swordsman (Donna Bae, "Jupiter Ascending"); the revolutionary Karian Bloodaxe (Justice League student Ray Fisher), brother of Devra (Cleopatra Coleman, "Dopesick"); Melius (E. Duffy), the soldier with the bloody axe. Once Royal Tarak (Staz Nair, “Supergirl”); and former military leader Titus (Djimon Hounsou, “A Quiet Place: Part 2”).
Building this community is at the heart of the first Rebel Moon game, and it's almost completely uninteresting. It's an adventure that never feels fun, despite small action scenes, such as Nemesis' battle with Harmada (Jena Malone), a half-woman, half-spider who has kidnapped a human girl.
It looks like next year will also see an expanded adaptation of this film, rated R, which is expected to be about an hour longer. It's surprising that a film as plodding as Child of Fire can feel rushed, at least plot-wise. As it stands, the film's narrative elements seem to be held together by frayed threads.
Hopefully the extra time allows for at least some character development as there is very little to be found in this version. There may not be a movie backup, but given Hunnam's screen presence ("Triple Frontier," "The Gentlemen"), Kai would be a poor version of Han Solo. (Dare we dream that Snyder could create a little love triangle for Korra, Kai and Gunnar? Maybe it's best not to.)
Boutella (The Mummy, 2107 Atomic Blonde) is solid enough in the lead role, but it's also difficult for the actor to shine in a Snyder film where all the bombastic action, delivered as slowly as possible, takes center stage. priority. Best work by Skrein ("Midway"); While Atticus probably won't make a memorable villain, he's still pretty despicable, especially in his tense introduction.
He works under the command of young guardian Belisarius (Fra Fee, "Hawkeye"), who is in a relationship with Korra and seems poised to take on a larger role in Scargiver. This also seems to be the case with Jimmy (Jimmy!), who was largely forgotten after fighting Cora on the Veldt. (If nothing else, Zack Snyder, please give us more Anthony Hopkins.)
If there's one area where Snyder succeeds with Rebel Moon, it's world-building. This universe definitely has something in common with a galaxy far, far away, but it contains some innovative elements, like the character you meet in the aforementioned bar.
Unfortunately, this action-hungry saga makes us want to stay away.
“Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire” is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence, sexual violence, graphic images, language, sexual material and partial nudity. Duration: 2 hours and 13 minutes.
