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Rebel Moon 3 Part 1: The Girl in the Fire (Rebel Moon 's Part One: A Child of Fire) is a science fiction action film directed by Zack Snyder, released in December 2023 by Netflix. This ambitious production marks the beginning of a new space franchise, with epic aspirations and its own universe, created from scratch by Snyder himself together with Shay Hatten and Kurt Johnstad.
The film was originally conceived as a proposal for the universe of Star Wars, but, since it did not materialize within that franchise, Snyder reformulated the project as an independent original saga. The result is a mix of space opera, galactic western and dark fantasy, with clear influences from works such as Star Wars, Dune, The Seven Samurai and The Lord of the Rings.
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With an international cast and spectacular aesthetics, Rebel Moon try to open the doors of a new cinematic universe for Netflix. However, its reception was as polarizing as its ambitions.
Synopsis
In the distant future, the galaxy is under the authoritarian yoke of the Imperium, a militaristic organization led by the ruthless Regent Balisarius. On a small agricultural moon called Veldt, life is peaceful until an imperial ship arrives demanding supplies for war. By refusing to cooperate, the villagers face the threat of extermination.
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In the midst of chaos it appears Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious woman with a hidden past. It is revealed that he was part of the Imperium as an elite soldier, but now lives in exile, trying to forget his violent past. Faced with the imminent invasion, Kora decides to fight.
Next to Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a farmer eager for justice, Kora sets out on a desperate mission: gather warriors from different corners of the galaxy who are willing to confront the Imperium. During his journey, he recruits diverse characters such as the gladiator Tarak (Staz Nair), the swordsman Nemesis (Doona Bae), the mercenary pilot Kai (Charlie Hunnam) and a philosophical android named Jimmy, voiced by Anthony Hopkins.
With the threat of the sadistic admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) and the shadow of Balisarius looming over them, Kora and his allies must prepare for an impossible war.
Cast
- Sofia Boutella like Kora: Lonely and tormented protagonist. Former soldier of the Imperium, he seeks redemption by leading the resistance.
- Ed Skrein like Admiral Atticus Noble: Cruel villain, at the service of the Imperium, symbol of excessive military power.
- Michiel Huisman like Gunnar: Peasant who acts as the bridge between the oppressed community and the warriors.
- Doona Bae like Nemesis: Cyber swordsman with a tragic past, one of the most striking characters of the group.
- Charlie Hunnam like Kai: Charming smuggler with ambiguous motivations.
- Djimon Hounsou like General Titus: Former commander of the Imperium, now disgraced.
- Staz Nair like Tarak: Warrior who can communicate with mythical creatures.
- Anthony Hopkins (voice) like Jimmy: An android with a conscience, who offers the most reflective moments of the film.
Criticisms
The criticisms were deeply divided. While some valued the aesthetic ambition and epic scale of the project, many others criticized the script, the superficial character development, and the inconsistent pacing.
Highlights:
- Shocking visual direction: As usual with Zack Snyder, the aesthetic is impeccable, with cinematic framing, intense colors and stylized action scenes.
- Design of worlds and characters: The created universe has potential, with very varied cultures, races and aesthetics.
- Doona Bae and Djimon Hounsou they offer outstanding performances within an unequal cast.
- Universal themes: The fight against authoritarianism, personal redemption and community creation are present as major thematic axes.
Most common negative reviews:
- Flat script and artificial dialogues: Many dialogues feel forced, expository or unnatural.
- Rushed character development: There are too many characters for so little narrative time.
- Lack of narrative originality: Despite its good intentions, the story feels recycled from other works of the genre.
- Incomplete structure: Being 1st Part 1, the film does not have a satisfactory ending and depends entirely on the sequel.
Public reception
The public reception was as mixed as the critics. Zack Snyder's fans valued his style and the project's ambition, while other viewers found it disappointing or confusing.
- Rotten Tomatoes: Critical approval of the 23% and a rating from the public of the 58%, reflecting a strong division.
- IMDb: Score of 5.6/10, sign of a cold reception.
- Metacritic: Mainly negative reviews, with comments about the imbalance between form and content.
As for audience on Netflix, the film was a success in number of views in its opening weekend, leading the platform's global ranking, although that momentum declined rapidly in subsequent weeks.
Technical and visual aspects
- Art direction and production design: The strongest point of the film. Each planet, ship and creature is designed with great attention to detail.
- Visual effects: High quality, especially in space combat and alien scenarios. Some sequences look like moving pictures.
- Photography: Snyder's signature use of slow motion and symmetrical composition is present, for better or worse.
- Soundtrack: Composed of Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL), the music is epic, tribal and appropriate to the tone of the film, although not as memorable as in the composer's other works.
- Assembly: Despite its short length by Snyder's standards (about 2 hours), the film feels patchy, with scenes that drag on and others that go by too quickly.
Conclusion
Rebel Moon 3 Part 1: The Girl in the Fire it is a visually powerful film, with a universe that promises much more than what it delivers in this first part. Zack Snyder once again demonstrates his talent as a director of grandiose images, but once again encounters the same underlying problems: a weak script, underdeveloped characters and excessive dependence of style on substance.
However, the film has its moments of emotion, and leaves interesting seeds for what could be an epic saga... if it manages to refine its ideas and better develop its protagonists. The big question is whether audiences will have enough patience to wait for this vision to mature.
Ideal for die-hard fans of visually ambitious science fiction or Zack Snyder, Rebel Moon it fails to be the revolution it promised, but it is not an absolute failure either. It remains at an uncomfortable intermediate point, depending completely on what its second part, scheduled for 2024, achieves.
