A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… only kidding. Rebel Moon was originally conceived as Zack Snyder’s Star Wars story but fate decided otherwise and it is now his attempt at creating a science fiction fantasy epic birthing a new universe in which many stories can be told. 

Kora (Sofia Boutella) is an ex soldier who has deserted the galactic empire she once served for a quieter life on a farming planet as far from the seat of power as is possible to go. Unfortunately for her though a ship run by the diabolically evil Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) arrives in orbit and after some serious intimidation tactics explains they will be back in ten weeks to take their entire harvest. Kora then sets out on a quest to find some warrior protectors to save the village. 

For anyone paying attention, yes that is basically the plot for Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film Seven Samurai or the 1960/2016 The Magnificent Seven remakes depending on your age or sensibility to film classics. I took the leap that Star Wars is often referenced as being based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress so why would we not then have a Star Wars story based on another Kurosawa classic? But a big issue here is that nothing in this film feels new or original. Star Wars, Dune, The Matrix, Blade Runner… and many more will feel familiar to you as you watch. 

The story then continues to unfold in a clunky and predictable manner. She meets Kai (Charlie Hunnam) who is a Poundland Han Solo, but he has a ship and can take her around on her recruiting mission. Followed by Tarak (Staz Nair) who auditions for her by breaking in a flying beast (a bit reminiscent of Buckbeak in Harry Potter). Then Nemesis (Bae Doona) who auditions by killing a spider (Jena Malone) that looks like the Borg Queen from Star Trek. Then Titus (Djimon Hounsou) who just gets to join because he is an old general. And then Bloodaxe (Ray Fisher) who is a rebel leader. We learn very little about these characters at all but they do get to give some earnest and heroic speeches. There is some space and time for Kora to tell us through flashbacks a little of her history though which is welcome but a little exposition heavy. 

And then as this is Part One some completely predictable surprises happen before we wrap up. 

Snyder is a visual director though and there are moments that look genuinely good. There must be effects work in every shot to give it a vivid poster like quality throughout. But the sheer amount of lens flare and slow motion is verging on parody at this point. Every director has some signature stylistic quirks but without some emotional connection to the characters it just feels like style over substance. We know a Michael Bay movie will feature someone looking up in slow motion and a rippling American flag as much as a Wes Anderson movie will feature perfectly framed symmetry. But please Zack, we do not need lens flare on a stove fire in a hut or slow motion on someone dropping some seeds! 

On the whole the film it reminded me of most was the Wachowski’s 2015 Jupiter Ascending. A science fiction universe overspilling with ideas and visual effects but with a terribly predictable story and bland characters. 

The hope would be that the upcoming Part Two or the later “Director’s Cut” would improve things. But for goodness sake this is a Netflix film, why is a director’s cut even needed? At least Apple’s Napoleon was cut for a theatrical release, but why bother here? Even if Part Two or the Directors Cut salvages things there would be zero reason to revisit this film.

Or maybe, just maybe Snyder should stick to other people’s scripts or original ideas? 2004’s Dawn of the Dead was from a James Gunn script whilst 300, Watchmen and Man of Steel were all comic book properties. Whilst his original films Sucker Punch and Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole have been as clunky as A Child of Fire is.