Rebel Moon Review

Rebel Moon : Has Zack Snyder failed?

The movie was originally intended to be situated within the star wars universe, however it could not be enforced. Hence,  leaving Zack Snyder with the only choice of creating his very own universe for the film Rebel Moon.

The story is set in a fictional universe with an imperialistic central power where Kora (Sofia Boutella) is living on a peaceful star being a part of a farming village. Things go downhill when they are attacked by the military of the motherworld in the name of food. Kora along with Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) then embark on the journey of finding skilled warriors who can aid them in their purpose of liberating the village from the fists of motherworld.

The plot gradually unfolds Kora’s backstory, solving the complexity of her past. During their journey, they find 5 skilled warriors; General Titus (Djimon Honsou), Nemesis (Doona Bae), Kai (Charlie Hunnam), Darrian Bloodaxe (Ray Fisher) and Tarak (Staz Nair). But as the movie proceeds, Kai betrays the group, introducing a twist in the plot.
The remaining movie revolves around how the group copes up with the betrayal and overcomes General Atticus (Ed Skrein) and his army.

The movie has faced major backlash from major media houses and the audience and also has a 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes making it the second lowest rating for a Zack Snyder movie. While the movie delivers in terms of sound, cinematography and graphics, it failed on several other fronts; most significant being the placement of plot.

It feels like an introductory movie that prepares you for the sequel but cannot be entertained as a stand alone movie. It has some shortcomings like the absence of information about other characters which leaves you with disappointment. We don’t know anything about the past of General Titus, Devra and Darrian Bloodaxe and Jimmy who apparently have an important backstory. The movie also ends on a cliffhanger with General Atticus being reanimated and thus ending on a very basic note.
However, if you’re a fan of game-like graphics and suspense, this movie might still be the right choice for you. However the commendable graphics and attention to details stand out, especially with the portrayal of characters like Jimmy, whose body language evokes empathy. On the other hand, General Atticus whose presence sends out psychopathic quality. The action sequences of Kora are breath taking, even enhanced by the use of slow motion sequences. The actor skillfully portrays emotions of anger and frustration. The sound is rather ethereal and serves the purpose. Cinematography is based on a dark dusky theme with a beautiful use of red. Costumes fit to the theme and dialogue writing is short and crisp.

All in all, had the movie placed more emphasis on developing the backstory and less on setting up a sequel, it had the potential to be among the best in its genre.