Zack Snyder’s ‘REBEL MOON’ movies were the stir of much anticipation & an abundance of talk both before & after their initial releases. The initial idea behind the Sci-Fi features were heavily inspired by Heavy Metal comics & renowned classic movies such as Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Action/Adventure picture ‘Seven Samurai’ & of course, George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’ series, amongst a flavour of other things felt brought to Snyder’s gigantic world building & original universe.
‘REBEL MOON’ launched to Netflix in 2023 with its ‘Part One: A Child Of War’ before continuing into 2024 with it’s now two year old sequel ‘Part Two: The Scargiver’ & while critically divisive, commercially they culminated a respectable figure topping 150+ Million Views [According to Netflix’s ‘What We Watched’ statistics] after individually debuting at #1 on the charts & continue to gradually gain strong defence online from fans, especially since the arrival of Zack Snyder’s uncut & violently rated ‘director’ editions which in marketing promised his true vision of the saga – and they delivered on that, something which is unanimously agreed upon by those who even disliked the original PG cuts asked for by Netflix to make the films more commercially viable.
With various levels of contention around the genuine effort by Zack Snyder & his team to deliver a new IP in a world where so much seems to be about bringing something old back, I asked fans online what it was they appreciated about the ‘REBEL MOON’ universe that other may not recognise, which is okay. While the movies may not be perfect, few ever are or will be, there’re clear strengths on show, from a great cast on display bringing life to prominent & memorable characters, such as Anthony Hopkins’ Jimmy, to universe trotting new worlds with an array of creatures, disturbing imagery bolstering the evil of the dictatorship motherworld & of course, Zack Snyder’s signature & violent showcase of action & spectacle with a tease for much more, should Netflix ever return to this story.
I love the aesthetic of Rebel Moon. Every scene of these films has an insane attention to detail to the point the world feels tangible. It often feels like an Indie-Film but with a James Cameron budget. You can tell everyone who worked on Rebel Moon cares about this universe.
[@UncannyKam]
For some, the ‘REBEL MOON’ universe offers something fresh & distinctive, set aside from its inspirations & neighbours such as ‘Dune’ & ‘Star Wars’.
For me, they have a distinctive style that makes them so special. The dieselpunk aesthetic, the Christian themes combined with space and World War-era tech, make it feel less like science fiction and more like a fantasy space opera. Sometimes it even feels medieval
[@Alec_A11]
Rebel Moon was a breath of fresh air during my science fiction drought. Dune is meticulous, Star Wars has been crap since the sequels; Rebel Moon transported me to a dirty and raw universe, where you feel that the good guys don’t really have it easy. I needed that in my veins.
[@AlexCast2422]
“Rebel Moon” was exactly what I needed: a film in the style of the ’80s-’90s, combining elements of classic fantasy and sci-fi like Conan or Heavy Metal. Zack Snyder rejected the standards of contemporary Hollywood, which have bored me for over a decade, and delivered a spectacle that had the guts to be different. Rebel Moon has its own identity. It’s a film that reflects Snyder’s artistic soul: it’s original, rebellious, refuses to conform to the art-killing formulas imposed by Hollywood, and does everything on its own terms.
It’s a film that reflects Snyder’s artistic soul: it’s original, rebellious, refuses to conform to the art-killing formulas imposed by Hollywood, and does everything on its own terms.
It doesn’t try to be for everyone or even for the majority. It’s meant to resonate with viewers who share the director’s tastes. This is a passion project, not a blockbuster designed for views and profits. The costumes, set design, vehicle models, alien race concepts, weapons, effects, music, CGI… everything here is a work of art. The visuals, despite not having an enormous budget, outshine the biggest Hollywood blockbusters like Avengers throughout the entire six-hour experience, and the rich mythology makes you want to learn more about this world.
[@netrusila_maxim]
It plays with mythology and heroes in ways I’ve never seen sci-fi attempt, truly blurs the line with fantasy in the best ways. The different cuts are so interesting, it’s like Zack is not just deconstructing genre, but tearing apart his own movies by exploring the themes more deeply.
[@Tylrz22]
Rebel Moon, despite the flawed alt cut idea, is one of the only ways to get an original sci-fi experience. Star Wars snuffed out everyone save for Riddick and Diesel is too busy going furiously fast.
I want interesting genre exploration. I want fresh worlds to visit and see.[@CaseyBookAuthor]
Notable in the ‘REBEL MOON’ features are specific moments which bring a characters arc full circle, be it Jimmy forging his own destiny away from the control of anyone alongside more tender moments that connect the characters more deeply to the land in which we see them fight to defend in the saga’s second film. At times, it’s moments like these & more than even Zack Snyder subverts from the direction you may expect them to play out. Something also pointed out by others when discussing the legacy of the films & their favourite moments in them.
‘Rebel Moon Chapter 2’ shows Zack Snyder at his sharpest: he uses the structure of current blockbuster, but completely subverts how he play with them. Is a emotional, gut-wrenching closure to the 1st arc of the saga, and have objectively the greatest action scene him has ever made.
[@DCUMoviePage]
Like all his work. It’s amazing on a surface level. The degree of depth and actual RW commentary of the D/C [Director Cuts] is fun commentary on the genre of the PG13 cuts, The themse of rebellion, freedom, slavery, fighting, not giving up & sacrifice for something greater
[NerdShyt]
In Part One, what I most appreciate is how Zack is a brilliant world-maker: We don’t spend much time in the planets aside from Veldt, but you can feel what they are about. As for Part Two, the quiet moments before war: The harvest and the party bring me to tears.
[@ReySkyMyth]
The best part about the franchise is how the scale grown casually from a farm to intergalactic empire, and the fact that we haven’t seen the actual rebel moon is just woah
[@GhostAssassin02]
What ‘Curse Of Forgiveness’ means to me along with the PG counterpart from a filmmaking standpoint you can experiment with the genre and have a small budget to make 2 movies. As for personal level. For R rated as a whole. The “curse” of Forgiveness is really for people/Who are evil and forgiveness is a blessing because unlike star wars where the story is a prophecy. In REBEL MOON it’s about broken characters in a war ridden world looking for forgiveness for the sins they have done in the past.
[@JefferyWarfiel4]
The best thing I love about Rebel Moon Chapter Two: Curse of Forgiveness is the scale of the third act battle is truly so breathtaking and the stakes get so elevated with the battle up on the Dreadnought with Kora & Noble. Zack took that classic Kurosawa approach and made it epic.
[@GothamsFavSon]
Others note the mythological aspects of the universe & the explored themes of resistance, religion & humanity within them, something not only extremely relevant in current ongoing atrocities in the world but also that Zack Snyder is infamous for delving into across his filmography. Though some also do critique the belief the later on released Directors Cuts of ‘REBEL MOON’ not being the original versions of the films released may have caused harm to the overall image of the films while stating how truly unleashed they are in terms of elevating the genre & specific story in play.
Netflix is REALLY sleeping on the lore potential REBEL MOON has. Cosmic beings with interstellar travel, robots sworn to protect the slayed King, cute little animals that can turn into an atomic bombs.
[@ItzJustSebba]
The Directors Cuts of ‘REBEL MOON’ were both critically favoured significantly higher than that of the 2 Hour, PG-13 Netflix variants. Though I would argue both have a place on the streamer for their own individual & shared reasons.
Rebel Moon draws a very clear line between growth, farming & creation versus death, military and destruction. The movies go out of their way to present the military industrial complex that the Mother World has become, as this grotesque, malformed thing that revels in how twisted it needs to be to perpetuate itself through violence. This becomes clear from the very first scene in the Directors Cut. Obviously this has clear parallels to real life, with the wars & military actions we have seen occur in this time. Especially when we question the ‘why’ of them. It’s relevant to how we should react to atrocity.
[@gautym]
My only regret is that the movie was made at Netflix. That universe has such great potential but Zack wasn’t given all the ingredients to cook what he had in store for us.
[@Stamkos33]
For me it’s how everyone has been broken down, the loss of family to find a home, a community, something to harvest that creates so much care that you’re willing to die for it against all odds in such an epic fashion during the last act. It’s the 100% Zack Snyder unleashed that I connect to.
[@ClarkJoeDCEU]
It’s a needed counterbalance to the imperial/colonial idealization and apologia rampant in our increasingly fascistic world. it shows victimised, marginalized people of all races and classes uniting to overthrow an far more powerful oppressor, doesn’t hold the gritty part back.
[@TryGraptor]
My relationship with Rebel Moon is unique in the sense that I had a great time with the first movie & upon rewatches have only grown to enjoy & appreciate it further. Rebel Moon: Part Two however takes it to the next level in almost every way possible & delivers on what many who maybe didn’t enjoy the first were looking for – A rock & metal fueled action spectacle with striking cinematography, a thunderous score & strong performances across the board. Every point was only further elevated in the respective Director Cut of the film(s). Them now both being over two years old is fascinating, as they continue to drive conversation of all kinds while growing in rewatch ability. There’s a strong chance that ‘REBEL MOON’ just like the other works of Zack Snyder will one day be looked back on as movies ahead of their time.
‘REBEL MOON’ is a story set in the universe of every Sci-Fi fans dream. Distinctive planets, unique creatures & treasures. Bonkers weaponry & awesome characters rocking awesome designs on a galactic sized scale. But ultimately, it’s a tender story not about the chosen ones, but the broken. It’s a story about connecting to a land you feel unfamiliar with, alien like almost, & finding family, purpose & sanction there, so much so you would lay your life on the line for it. It’s about finding faith in the unlikeliest of places & discovering the humanity within yourself & others along the way.
This movie is the universe I belong to.
[@CisMeriaL]
It’s a joy to see others share a similar kind of love to what I consider to be, Zack Snyder’s Misunderstood Sci-Fi Extravaganza.
Zack Snyder’s ‘REBEL MOON’ is now streaming on Netflix.
