Where I Watched It: Netflix

English Audio Description provided By International Digital center

Written By Dakota Green

Directed By Frankie Corrió

Cast: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ray Fisher, Corey Stoll, Charlie hunnam, Cary Elwes, Ed Skrein, Derek Mears, Jena Malone, and Anthony Hopkins

Written and Directed By: Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder became a director I immediately started to pay attention to when he debuted with his remake of Dawn Of The Dead. Then, he brought 300 to life, and men can’t stop reminding people that this is Sparta! After that, all the feedback he got about using slow motion, color grading, contrast, and everything that made 300 such a unique marvel just started to bleed into every film after that. So much so, that the amalgamation that was the theatrical cut of Justice League was so bizarre, because it was cut and pasted together using Snyder’s content and Joss Whedon’s content. It’s like trying to blend Picasso with Banksy. I’ll let you figure out who is who.

The story goes, Snyder wanted to direct an R rated Star Wars film, to which he was told No. Someone actually told Snyder No. Then Netflix basically said, if you can do that thing EL James did with her Twilight porn, and turn your script from Star Wars into an original concept, we will let you make your film. that’s how Rebel Moon exists.

I felt like this was a different Snyder than what we had gotten before. instead of trying to lean entirely on style, he has crafted this world that I’m sure makes sense in his mind, but world building is hard. World building and doing it in limited timeframes is even harder. Hell, even Star Wars started with a scroll that helped to contextualize everything. But, here, Snyder just lets it play out, gradually dropping backstory as the film moves along.

Honestly, I got lost. Somewhere along the way, there were too many characters, in a universe I barely knew anything about. I got that there was a King, who died, there’s a princess, who might be the key to saving the universe from evil, and somehow everyone fits into that. The beginning of the film focused on a farming community that felt reminiscent of indigenous populations, and I really enjoyed the first 15-20 minutes, as it seemed like Snyder was going to stay focused on a smaller scale, and let things really expand after. instead, once this thing gets going, and heads off world, i didn’t recognize the film at all. His restraint only went just so far.

The notable performances here are from Sofia Boutella, who starts off strong, but gets lost in the mess, and Ed Skrein who is a proper villain. Some of these actors, I don’t even know why they are here, though I give props to Zack Snyder for continuing to cast Ray Fisher, whose career died after he called out the injustice on the set of Justice league.Even though he was eventually backed up, his career never rebounded.

I don’t hate this film, but I also don’t know what it’s about. I do reviews based on the first viewing, and I admit I’ll have to rewatch this again when Part 2 comes out. I’m not going to give up as quickly as some other critics. I really loved Valerian, the Luc Besson film almost no one watched, and maybe this could be that? I don’t think the audio description is why I didn’t understand it either, as I thought Dakota green’s script really tried to make sense of it. but, honestly, it is a lot. Zack Snyder just bit off a lot.

Zack, slow things down, focus on the story, and let your characters come through. Your visual effects should not be the top reason to see your film, it should be the actual film. The beginning, middle, and end. The hero’s journey, an epic villain. Zack Snyder has talent, he’s just too wrapped up in what people expect of him to try and deliver anything different.

I’d love to see Snyder go way outside his element, and direct something that wasn’t science fiction, action, or horror. Strip away the flash and bang, and force him to direct actors. Force him to really pop the story and the plot. that’s what we need from him, and what he needs as an auteur. Not more of this.

Final Grade: C