’Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire’ review: A derivative and scattered introduction

We live in a great time for fans of space operas. The Dune films are setting up a successful adaptation of once-considered “unfilmable” novels. On Apple TV, Foundation is reimagining the beloved Isaac Asimov novel with critical success and, despite some flaws, Star Wars is still creating interesting new entries in the story of the galaxy far, far away. However, the latest entry into the space opera canon, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, results in a scattered introduction to a world that doesn’t differentiate itself from other franchises and, despite some interesting visuals, falls incredibly flat.

Released on Netflix on December 22nd after a short theatrical window, Rebel Moon introduces us to a peaceful agrarian space community on the moon Vendt after being subjugated by a visiting party of the Motherworld, a militaristic empire that rules over the galaxy. To prepare for their next attack, a young warrior, Kora (Sofia Boutella), sets out to find warriors who can help her lead her moon into insurgency, including Kai (Charlie Hunnman,) a mysterious mercenary, and Tarak (Staz Nair,) a former beastmaster now held in slavery.

Space rebels … assemble?

The structure of the film is very similar to a team assembly montage. Kora slowly builds the team after helping them with a task of some sort on their respective planets, and as they traverse this quest, they all exchange expository conversations about the way the laws of the Motherworld works. These quests are often accompanied by some landmark beats of the space opera genre, including beast taming, shootouts at bars, and cave exploration.

This would indicate that Rebel Moon has all the ingredients for an effective space opera, but it is exactly this very structure that makes it less than the sum of its parts. The reliance on an extended team assembly montage constantly shifts the focus to each of the new characters we encounter. While this allows us to see some solid performances by Hunman, Ray Fisher, and Doona Bae, it forces the rest of the ensemble into the background. Doing so makes it harder for the audience to connect with them. The result is a 134-minute runtime that develops very few emotional stakes beyond the impending attack in Vendt.

Old ideas, lackluster execution

Moreover, Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, and Shay Hatten saturate their screenplay with the customary platitudes about honor, revenge, and duty, which, although prevalent in the genre, typically scatter across the narrative. This reduces the characters to mere puppets executing plot tasks rather than individuals confronted with the imminent threat of an armed conflict. Combining this lack of character depth with a pace resembling a series of loosely connected episodes directs attention to the recognizable similarities with other space operas, fostering frustration with this lackluster execution of tropes.

Addressing these issues requires an extended version of the film capable of establishing a stronger connection with the characters. Snyder himself has hinted at the existence of an extended Director’s Cut of Rebel Moon. However, these problems are not isolated. The movie’s action sequences lean heavily on slow-motion shots, a classic element of Snyder’s style, which, unfortunately, renders the flow of the fights tedious. The production design neglects the crucial details essential for creating an immersive world. Additionally, the costumes appear too familiar, detracting from the desired sense of reality. In the absence of a robust story anchor, all these issues exacerbate the overall viewing experience.

The world of Rebel Moon possesses potential as a darker and grittier reinvention of the space opera genre. However, before the introduction of massive spaceships and grand stakes, a space opera needs to create a genuine connection with these characters and the world they hold dear. Hopefully, the upcoming sequel, Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver (scheduled for release in April 2024,) can achieve this and provide the much-needed gravitational pull.

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is now available on Netflix. Watch the trailer here.