Zack Snyder’s Search for a Netflix Miracle: A Review of Rebel Moon Part 2

Everything you need to know about Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher

The release of Rebel Moon in December 2023 was seen as an event, but above all the start of a saga intended to rival Star Wars. The reception received by this science fiction film decided otherwise. Even before its release on Netflix, Zack Snyder's creation was shot down by all critics. Part 1: Child of Fire displays a press score that is edifying to say the least on RottenTomatoes with its 21% which says it all. The spectators were, however, a little more lenient, giving him an enviable 57%.

Zack Snyder's task therefore promises to be arduous in restoring the image of his Space Opera. This American director has shown extraordinary talent in the past, notably on Watchmen: Guardians and 300, but has also proven that to err is definitely human with Army of the Dead. It seems that his collaboration with Netflix is ​​really not working for him. However, Zack Snyder still has one shot left to turn a fiasco into an unexpected success. Failure is not allowed for Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher and her cast of warriors.

The synopsis of Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher: Kora, a formidable warrior who fled her past life, finds refuge on a peaceful planet threatened by a tyrannical empire. Facing the armies of Regent Balisarius and Admiral Atticus Noble, she sets off in search of allies on distant planets in the hope of repelling the invader and saving her people. Now supported by an army of rebels and allies from the four corners of the universe, she returns home to face the oppressor and her terrible and bloody past.

The cast of Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher: Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: Secret Service), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond), Ed Skrein (Deadpool), Michiel Huisman (Echo 3), Doona Bae (Cloud Atlas), Ray Fisher (Justice League), Staz Nair (Game of Thrones) , Fra Fee (Hawkeye), Elise Duffy and Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, Westworld)

Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher is released on April 19, 2024 exclusively on Netflix.

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Zack Snyder or the science (fiction) of glut

It's no secret. I'm a fan of Zack Snyder. I like his films, even the most criticized ones. I like his vision of cinema. In short, I love his art and craftsmanship. Nevertheless, I had to recognize in December 2023 the weaknesses of Rebel Moon – Part 1 which was a huge disappointment for me, and probably for all science fiction fans. This universe presented as Netflix's “Star Wars killer” could well disappear before even having really lived. With Part 2, Zack Snyder is entrusted with a highly perilous mission… to save his Space Opera. No more no less !

I was “lucky” to discover the first film in optimal conditions, namely in the cinema. Such a riot of means and such a vision deserve nothing other than the big screen to be appreciated (or not) at their true value. Unfortunately, “The Slasher” has to settle for Netflix to restore the image of the franchise. No need to procrastinate any longer… Rebel Moon – Part 2 is much better than its predecessor (which is not an achievement)without managing to correct or even erase the flaws that were obvious in “Child of Fire”.

Zack Snyder's creation suffers from an overabundance which makes an essentially epic cinematic experience difficult to digest. In many ways, Rebel Moon is “epic”… often too much so for its own good. Here, the American director becomes the caricature of himself, at least of his cinema. He has distinguished himself in the past on 300, Watchmen: Guardians and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice thanks to his sense of “beautiful”, divine and excess. Until now, it had always known how to dose these elements, but this is no longer the case in 2023-2024.

The omnipresent slow motion is symptomatic of a filmmaker who lets his creativity speak without any limits and/or constraints being imposed on him by anyone. No fight, no battle scene (or almost no) takes place at normal speed in the Rebel Moon universe. The action here is experienced in slow motion or not at all. Even worse, he introduces and overuses slow motion to the point of making his trademark cliché. The characters themselves struggle to exist in this choral work which constantly multiplies points of view, but never takes the time to take an interest in them.

Except for a flashback by pipehead before the final battle, the rebels who required a two-hour film as a reminder to be reunited turn out to be absent from their own story. Their presence even borders on a cameo for some… a shame for a diptych supposed to depict an epic fresco happily drawing on popular culture to nourish its universe. I'm not going to redo the list of franchises and genres that served as inspiration for Zack Snyder. It's enough to know that his love for Star Wars, Warhammer 40,000 and The Matrix shines through on the screen.

What ultimately remains in Rebel Moon – Part 2? A plot that goes straight to the point and focuses on a specific location – the Veldt moon in orbit around the planet Mara – without ever (and this is very important) getting scattered along the way. So, Zack Snyder can showcase his talent for heroic staging and satisfy his appetite for warrior aesthetics. The result is “over the top” sequences that I am very fond of as well as polished and instantly iconic visuals. But, again, he really does too much to the point of distorting his own art.

Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Slasher is undoubtedly better than the first, but cannot shake off its sequel nature. Fans of Zack Snyder and Space Opera will find what they came for. The others will move on.