Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child Of War
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child Of Fire is a 2023 American sci-fi space opera film directed by Zack Snyder. It was released by Netflix on 21 December 2023.
The story is centred around a settlement of farmers on the edge of a distant moon that finds itself under the King’s Gaze, a tyrannical military force that wants,… well.., everything. Kora, a stranger living in their midst becomes their only hope if she can gather up a band warriors to mount a defence or rebellion against the Motherworld forces….
The Good
It carries the signature of a Zack Snyder production, delivering a visual feast of epic cinematography with breathtaking landscapes, heart-stopping action sequences and of course slow motion scenes.
Kora played by , shines as the heart of the rebellion – She’s fierce, vulnerable, and badass all at once, literally carrying the film with charisma and raw emotion.
The Bad
It is predictable movie that follows a formulaic trope – its giving: Star Wars meets the Magnificent 7. First there is an intergalactic Motherworld empire which crushes all rebellion beneath its heel and then there is the quest to round up a ragtag band of warriors with different skillsets and motives to fight against the bad guys….
There multicharacter band of rebels has so many people that never quite get screen time nor particularly showcase their skills after their initial introduction or recruitment to fight for the rebels.
The plot spends more time on side quests than on the character and world building which leaves you with characters who might be interesting but not particularly memorable nor relatable.
The world building feels rushed or unfinished as Kora travels across different planets to recruit her champions, none of the places standout or seem fully furnished.. cant remember a single name.
The Ugly
The slow motion scenes are impressive – but that does get a bit overdone we don’t need it popping up every other scene.. cutting them down would significantly reduce the 2 hours 16 minutes of running time.
Unlike Star Wars, Rebel Moon is rather dark, not much in the way of comic relief and has violence and threats of sexual assault that can be triggering… The Motherworld forces seem to be particularly brutal just because they can….
Final Thoughts
Its not a great movie and its not bad movie— parts of it are enjoyable and other bits tedious. The sequel Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, is scheduled for release on 19 April 2024.
Fun Fact: Zack Snyder initially pitched the film to Lucasfilm in 1997 as a more mature take on the Star Wars Universe.
Have you watched Rebel Moon – are you a fan of Zack Snyder’s signature style?
Becoming The Muse 
Your thoughts.. if you will?