As Zack Snyder’s anticipated space opera, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, nears its debut, new reviews from critics offer mixed reviews for the upcoming film.
Per The Direct, several critics shared their feedback via X (formerly Twitter) on the first Rebel Moon movie following its world premiere on Dec. 13 in Hollywood. CineXpress’ Fico Cangiano credited A Child of Fire as a “fun, loving tribute” to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. “Rebel Moon is Zack Snyder’s fun, loving tribute to the likes of Star Wars, LOTR, Seven Samurai, Gladiator, etc. It looks, sounds & plays great, & even though it takes some time to take off, it will definitely have you on board for Part 2. Cool setup & world building; lots of potential,” he said.
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However, Next Best Pictures’ Matt Neglia expressed his concern with the film’s “clunky execution” throughout. “REBEL MOON – PART ONE: A CHILD OF FIRE should’ve aligned with my predilection for epic storytelling but left me feeling detached. Zack Snyder’s clunky execution makes even the most basic drama feel tedious. Derivative sci-fi with unimpressive slow-mo action & dull characters,” he said.
One critic, BroBible’s Eric Italiano, went as far as to say A Child of Fire is “the first movie I’ve walked out of in a long, long time,” calling out its “bad acting” and suggesting the movie is “an absolute buffet for Zack Snyder haters.” Screen Rant critic Joe Deckelmeier was much more forgiving in his review, though he’s curious about Snyder’s director’s cut when it eventually debuts. “I loved the action in Rebel Moon and this brilliant international cast, but I wish we spent more time with the rebel recruits. Zack Snyder’s director’s cut is the version I want,” he said. Snyder has teased that the cut is a “very hard” R-rated alternate version of the movie.
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A Child of Fire chronicles the journey of Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former Imperium member going up against a corrupt government controlling the moon of Veldt. Kora seeks redemption for her past with the oppressive government by recruiting several warriors from across the galaxy to help her take them on. The film also stars Djimon Hounsou, Doona Bae, Ed Skrein, Ray Fisher and Anthony Hopkins.
Rebel Moon Has Spent Years in Development
Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies have been a long time coming as he initially crafted the stories to integrate them with the Star Wars franchise, to no avail. A Child of Fire recently secured an earlier theatrical premiere date for its limited run before shifting to Netflix, with Snyder teasing a cliffhanger fans will enjoy.
A Child of Fire precedes The Scargiver, which is set for release on Apr. 19, 2024. The first Rebel Moon installment has a runtime of 2 hours and 14 minutes. Both films were made with a combined $166 million budget.
A Child of Fire opens in theaters on Dec. 15 and will be available via Netflix on Dec. 21.
Source: The Direct
Rebel Moon
- Release Date
- December 22, 2023
- Director
- Zack Snyder
- Cast
- Sofia Boutella , Charlie Hunnam , Anthony Hopkins , Cary Elwes , Jena Malone , Djimon Hounsou
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Genres
- Drama , Action , Adventure , Sci-Fi