‘Rebel Moon’: A lackluster odyssey through familiar terrain

• Release Date:22/12/2023
• Platform: Netflix
• Cast: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman,Bae Doona, Charlie Hunnam
• Director: Zack Snyder

Sofia Boutella Shines in a Dim Sky: A Lackluster Odyssey Through Familiar Terrain

“Rebel Moon” draws inspiration from “The Seven Samurai” (Akira Kurosawa), the “Star Wars” films, and Heavy Metal magazines. Zack Snyder developed the story and treatment with the Star Wars universe in mind, pitching it as an “adult” Star Wars story to Lucasfilm in 2012 after their sale to the Walt Disney Company. According to Wikipedia, Snyder also pitched the idea as both a video game and a film to Warner Bros. Pictures on a couple of occasions. When Snyder didn’t receive approval from either company, he collaborated with producer Eric Newman, initially conceiving it as an original television series before settling on a film for Netflix.

If you notice elements in the film that feel uncannily similar to Star Wars or other pop-culture hits of the 1980s and 1990s, now you know their origins. This revelation heightened my excitement for the film. While I wasn’t a fan of the Star Wars franchise, I believed there was a story that could be updated for a more impactful presentation in the current context. Adding some hyperviolence and sex could transform it into one of the most exciting and entertaining film ideas of recent times. My anticipation for “Rebel Moon” was also fueled by the original’s fan following, elements from the originals that I genuinely liked, and my trust in Zack Snyder’s craft. Having helmed some of the largest and most complicated projects of late, I was eager to see how “Rebel Moon” would unfold.

Generic and boring story that has been done to death in better films:

As I watched “Rebel Moon”, I couldn’t help but feel perplexed by the absence of a single original or updated element that was essential to elevate this otherwise generic and overused storyline. We’ve witnessed this narrative in countless iterations and contexts before, leaving me questioning the need for yet another rendition. For audiences to invest their time in a story inspired by some of the most iconic films and story arcs in history, there should be some merit or incentive. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. The story unfolds leisurely throughout its runtime, ticking off some of the necessary boxes for a narrative of this nature, resulting in a constant feeling of déjà vu for the audience.

I’m uncertain about what went wrong with Zack Snyder and his radically different visions that make him the man that he is. Even if he had crafted a film of this nature in 2012, it still wouldn’t have worked, as by that point, we had already seen far superior films of a similar nature. How, then, did he expect this story to find traction among audiences 11 years later?

Poor Direction and Inexplicable Melodramatic Approach to Many Scenes:

What should have been the film’s strength turns out to be its greatest weakness. Zack Snyder’s direction of the story and his approach to its various elements are so mediocre and clichéd that even the salvageable portions of the film end up being underwhelming. Given that Snyder was aware the story had been done to death, he should have approached its different elements in a way that felt fresh and unique. Unfortunately, he did not do that.

The interactions between various characters and the dramatic conversations about their past lives and higher goals feel not only comedic but also meaningless. We fail to forge any bond with the characters, making it hard for us to become invested in their tragedies or past relationships with enemies. This lack of connection is detrimental to a film of this nature, as much of its impact relies on heightened emotions and inspirational moments derived from the audience’s connection with the characters.

To compound the issue, there are numerous scenes where characters behave in a caricaturish manner when the intention was to convey heightened emotions and drama. These scenes border on being funny due to their melodramatic nature. A prime example is a scene where Djimon Hounsou’s character is recruited by our protagonist. He goes through the ‘I am not interested’ routine before changing his mind in one sentence from Sofia Boutella, with the background score swelling and Hounsou sporting a constipated expression. It’s puzzling how Snyder overlooked these discrepancies.

Sophia Boutella Is the Only Saving Grace of The Film:

I felt very bad for Sofia Boutella as she delivered a performance that was better than what this film deserved. It’s not something that I say every day, but in this particular case, it is true. I absolutely hated the fact that the writing of her character and how she was directed constantly undermined the uncontrollable energy and physicality that she almost always hinted at possessing and unleashing in the larger scheme of things.

The way Boutella presented herself physically and the emotions she brought to the character were unquestionably in line with the character that she was portraying. Sadly, there wasn’t a single scene in the film, aside from two brief hand-to-hand combats in the beginning, that could justify her electric screen presence and her by far the best and most heartfelt portrayal of a character in the film. It’s a tragedy that such a spirited performance would be met with so little creativity and conviction on the part of the writer and director, undermining her performance and causing it to get lost in the heap of other mediocre and poor performances in the film.

Poor Performances from The Rest of The Cast:

The rest of the cast in the film either appeared disinterested or suffered from poor and generic writing of their characters. Some, like Charlie Hunnam, were given accents that further rendered the characters caricaturish. The fact that each character seemed like a lesser version of characters from other films or series and was approached in the most generic and boring manner possible, ensured that the audience wouldn’t even care to remember who played what.

Staz Nair, as the Indian equivalent Tarak, was easily the most noticeable among the lot. He genuinely tried to bring a sense of urgency and physicality to the scenes where it was needed. Anthony Hopkins’ voice, as that of a robot, was unmistakable. Ray Fisher played an important character in the film, but it was so poorly executed and, worse still, envisioned that I didn’t even recognize him in the film. Ed Skreinas the primary antagonist is as generic as he could have been and is unable to bring anything special to the character.

Action sequences and CGI while not terrible left a lot to be desired:

We live in a time when we have seen almost anything and everything in terms of action and computer-generated imagery (CGI). It is extremely difficult to wow audiences these days. At such a juncture, merely being proficient with your world’s visuals and character design is not enough. Additionally, there were many characters and elements in the visual presentation of the film that felt inspired or simply lifted from similar elements in different and better films. This further reduced the impact of the visual work, even though it was done with finesse.

It has to be acknowledged that there were a few portions here and there with questionable CGI, but it never got out of hand. The issue with the action and the CGI of the film was that it all felt like something we had seen in better versions in some other film or series. Everything about the action and the CGI felt dated, and that is something that cannot be accepted in a film that is presented as a revolutionary new approach or retelling of one of the most popular and groundbreaking films of its genre and time.

Final words:

“Rebel Moon” falls short of the expectations set by its ambitious inception and the body of work of its director. Despite a proficient performance from Sofia Boutella and certain moments of visual finesse, the film struggles to rise above its clichéd and uninspired storytelling. Zack Snyder’s direction, though occasionally commendable, fails to inject the much-needed freshness into a narrative that treads familiar ground. The lacklustre character development, coupled with underwhelming CGI and action sequences, contributes to an overall viewing experience that feels dated and fails to leave a lasting impression. While the film may have aimed to offer a revolutionary take on a beloved genre, it ultimately succumbs to the pitfalls of predictability and fails to distinguish itself in a landscape saturated with superior offerings. “Rebel Moon” stands as a missed opportunity to breathe new life into a classic tale, leaving audiences yearning for the innovation and impact that it promised but ultimately failed to deliver.

Rating: 2/5 (2 out of 5 Stars)

The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position.

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