What Went Wrong With Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon Movies

Rebel Moon was among the most anticipated sci-fi franchises of modern times, but something clearly went wrong with it. Although Rebel Moon‘s production officially began sometime in 2021, the film has technically been in development for over two decades. Zack Snyder conceived the core ideas behind the film franchise’s narrative when he was in college and even discussed it with co-writer Kurt Johnstad in 1997.

With Zack Snyder at its helm, Rebel Moon was already selling itself as a visually stunning and memorable sci-fi flick that could rank among Netflix’s most profitable IPs. Even the film’s initial trailers, casting choices, and story elements promised that it would potentially captivate audiences worldwide. However, not everything seems to have gone as planned since the Rebel Moon movies continue a disappointing trend.

Zack Snyder’s Star Wars Hopes Hurt Rebel Moon

Rebel Moon Makes Itself Look Like An Inferior Star Wars

As reports reveal, Zack Snyder initially pitched Rebel Moon as a Star Wars film. While many details of his initial script for the film are unknown, even the final product, Netflix’s Rebel Moon, shares way too many similarities with Star Wars despite setting up a completely different franchise. Owing to the reports about Rebel Moon initially being a Star Wars story and its clear visual and narrative parallels with the renowned sci-fi franchise, it was hard for viewers and critics not to compare it with Star Wars. Some level of similarity between the two cinematic products would have gone unnoticed, ignored, or forgiven.

However, Rebel Moon seems a little too derivative of the George Lucas franchise, preventing it from etching its own unique identity. Since Rebel Moon indirectly attempts to leverage Star Wars‘ popularity and formula, one expects it to be equally good (if not better) than the George Lucas movies. Unfortunately, as several reviews suggest, the Rebel Moon franchise pales compared to the iconic cinematic saga it attempts to recreate or reimagine. If it wasn’t for these glaring parallels between the two franchises, Rebel Moon might have earned a little more appreciation for its ambition.

Rebel Moon’s Characters Are Underdeveloped

Many Characters Add Little Heft To The Overarching Story

Like the narrative elements of the film franchise, even the characters in Rebel Moon come off as echoes of the archetypes established in other sci-fi flicks. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, given how many film franchises take a similar approach to appeal to the masses, Rebel Moon attempts to dabble with way too many familiar character beats at once. Instead of taking time to flesh out the backstories of its primary characters, both Rebel Moon movies walk through a series of shallow character tropes and portray characters in visually stunning but narratively frail action scenes.

For instance, Kora’s action sequences are some of the best aspects of both Rebel Moon movies. However, the first film keeps her backstory a mystery almost halfway through its runtime. Even when her backstory is finally revealed, the film merely tells viewers about her past instead of showing the events that shaped her. There are several other moments and character arcs in the Rebel Moon films that offer a little too much exposition, defying the golden rule of storytelling — “show, don’t tell!” Other characters, like Djimon Hounsou’s Titus, barely even get any screen time, even though the actors playing them are extremely talented.

Source

Rebel Moon Part 2 Ending Explained

Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver sees the rebels fight back against the Imperium, while the ending sets up a future adventure.

Rebel Moon’s Chaotic Story Is Forgettable

Rebel Moon Is Weighed Down By Its Emphasis On Franchise Building

Even before it premiered, Rebel Moon was trying to sell itself as a full-fledged franchise. The two Rebel Moon movies continue this attempt at franchise-building by intentionally leaving several crucial plot threads unresolved and hinting at future conflicts in the overarching narrative. Considering how other sci-fi movie franchises like Dune have trodden a similar path and succeeded, making room for future movie installments may not necessarily harm a film. However, Rebel Moon seems to present way more empty promises than tantalizing prospects for the franchise’s future.

The many chaotic, unresolved story elements in the film are also ridden with classic sci-fi tropes and cliché dialogue that further hinder Rebel Moon‘s ability to achieve long-term success. By relying more on voiceover expositions than visual storytelling, the Rebel Moon movies also make it challenging for viewers to truly visualize the scale of its world-building and overarching franchise potential. For instance, everything from the ruling body in its storyline to the state of the galaxy is merely told instead of being shown. This approach leaves a little too much to a viewer’s imagination, preventing them from investing themselves in the films.

Source

Ranking The 17 Slow-Mo Scenes In Rebel Moon

Zack Snyder is known for his slow-motion scenes, and Rebel Moon is full of them, but some of these were more emotional and memorable than others.

Zack Snyder’s Director Cuts Mean Initial Releases Are Essentially Incomplete

The Director’s Cut Promise Is A Terrible Marketing Strategy

Harping on Zack Snyder’s delayed Justice League success with its director’s cut, Rebel Moon attempts to leverage the director’s reputation of delivering better products when he is not being held back by studio interference and constraints. Unfortunately, riding on the coattails of Snyder’s recent triumph with the DC franchise has proven to be a terrible marketing strategy for the Netflix film franchise. Instead of leaving viewers hungry for more information on what was removed from the film’s initial release and making them look forward to the director’s cut, Rebel Moon leaves one frustrated because of its intentionally incomplete plot developments.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League outclassed the 2017 iteration of the film because it presented Snyder’s uncompromised vision for the superhero franchise and renewed appreciation for the director’s prowess as a storyteller. However, the fact that sections from the Rebel Moon movies have been purposefully dissected only to get more eyes on an expanded version of the overarching story kills the idea of building genuine anticipation for the director’s cut. Instead of being a reflection of the director’s creative autonomy, the director’s cut comes off as a reminder of how the initial film is an unfinished product.

What’s Next For The Rebel Moon Franchise?

Rebel Moon’s Future May Not Be As Bleak As Its Reviews

Despite its diminishing critical ratings, the Rebel Moon franchise will continue expanding and spreading its roots. Zack Snyder confirmed that Rebel Moon 3 is already in the works and that he is actively penning down its script. Although Netflix has not officially confirmed its release or title, it seems likely that the streaming will continue strengthening its relationship with the prolific director. Reports (via The New York Times) also initially suggested that the Rebel Moon movies would be a trilogy. Co-writer Kurt Johnstad later added that six installments for the film franchise have already been planned.

He also added that despite the six-movie plan, the franchise will still be more or less of a trilogy because each film has been divided into two parts. Owing to this, Rebel Moon 3 will likely mark the inception of a new arc in the overarching franchise’s storyline. While the second movie’s negative critical reception could impact the long-term plans for the franchise, the movies seem to be doing well from a commercial standpoint. This almost guarantees that at least the third Rebel Moon movie will see the light of the day. Hopefully, it will try to fix the pitfalls of the first two Rebel Moon films.

Rebel Moon

Cast

Sofia Boutella , Charlie Hunnam , Michiel Huisman , Djimon Hounsou , Doona Bae , Ray Fisher , Cleopatra Coleman , Jena Malone , Ed Skrein , Fra Fee , Anthony Hopkins

Character(s)

Kora (Rebel Moon) , General Titus , Kai (Rebel Moon) , Tarak , Darrian Bloodaxe , Devra Bloodaxe , Nemesis (Rebel Moon)