Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire Review

Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire showcases a visually stunning world, a dastardly villain, and a group of rebels that will have your heart.

Zack Snyder fans have been waiting forever for Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire, so luckily it was worth the wait. This film builds a truly incredible world with stunning visuals, intriguing characters, and a villain that is sure to send shivers down anyone’s spine. Knowing that a Rebel Moon Part Two is coming can be a little worrisome. Does Part One feel like all set up with absolutely no payoffs? Not at all. Does it end on a cliffhanger that will have you begging for it to be April already? You know it.

Official Synopsis: After crash landing on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a stranger with a mysterious past, begins a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. But she soon becomes their only hope for survival when the tyrannical Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee) and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), discover the farmers have unwittingly sold their crops to the Bloodaxes (Cleopatra Coleman and Ray Fisher) — leaders of a fierce group of insurgents hunted by the Motherworld.

Tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a legendary commander; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a master swordswoman; Tarak (Staz Nair), a captive with a regal past; and Milius (E. Duffy), a resistance fighter.

Back on Veldt, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), an ancient mechanized protector hiding in the wings, awakens with a new purpose. But the newly formed revolutionaries must learn to trust each other and fight as one before the armies of the Motherworld come to destroy them all.

Something most people can agree on is that Zack Snyder knows how to pull off an action scene. Thankfully there are a lot of them in Rebel Moon Part One. In order to have faith that this team of Rebels can pull off taking down the big baddie, we have to see them in action. This is exactly what we get, perfectly sprinkled throughout the movie. Each character has their time to show us what they have, and of course, it is done so beautifully.

Snyder’s signature look of dulled tans and browns, with pops of reds and yellows, is very common throughout the film. Let’s just say you won’t be wondering who directed it while watching it. This, of course, is not a bad thing. In fact, if it isn’t broken, why fix it?

Exploring this new universe is one of the most exciting things about the Rebel Moon Part One. We see many different planets, and with that different looking inhabitants. There is a fair amount of VFX used, but it mostly hits the mark. The times that it doesn’t often surround CGI animals, which we all know very rarely actually works — especially if someone is riding one. 

It is clear that this film is modeled a lot off of Star Wars, which once again, not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it seems as if this is a vaguely familiar story, but it never fully hits the nail directly on the head. It takes just enough of inspiration while still making it something unique, new, and exciting.

Probably the biggest issue with Rebel Moon Part One is that it feels like a set up film. This often happens when there are two parts to a film, but Part One doe this while still delivering a lot of great action and driving the story forward. Yes, there are some consequences for character actions. There are big events. And of course, that massive cliffhanger which is simultaneously annoying but also will leave audiences eager for me. Luckily we only have to wait until April to see what happens next. 

Was the movie a longer one and then split in two, or was it always planned this way. It is hard to tell exactly what Snyder’s plan was from the start, but because we meet so many characters, it seems that perhaps it was an overstuffed film that needed more time to breath, so it became two. Because there are so many characters being added to the story as time goes on, the audience doesn’t get to know them well enough to truly connect to them. To root for them. To feel for them. 

This part is hard to talk about without giving spoilers, but in Rebel Moon Part One there are just a handful of characters that are given enough of a background. Kora and Admiral Noble being two of them. We get to learn a lot about them and their background. Kai and Gunnar also have great stories in the film.

Unfortunately, other than that, the characters get a throwaway sentence about their past, a scene as to how they join up with the team, and that is it. Hopefully in Part Two we are able to dive into their personalities more so that we can connect with them.

Zack created a captivating universe with his world building, despite the lack of character building for some. The plot is intriguing, but we won’t know until Part Two comes out if it is all worth it in the end. That being said, the action is great, the visuals are stunning, and there are certain characters that will have your heart. 

We love a good villain, so we are thrilled with how Ed Skrein portrays Admiral Noble. He is ruthless. He is diabolical. And he is someone you will love to hate. While he certain feels like an Imperial Officer, he also brings his own twist to things. One of the best villains to grace the screen in a long time, he is sure to be a fun favorite.

Overall, Rebel Moon Part One: A Child Of Fire is definitely a set up for what will hopefully be an epic conclusion. The action is great, the visuals stunning, and the story intriguing. There are a lot of characters that audiences will connect with, but unfortunately also a lot that they just don’t well enough yet. Admiral Noble makes an incredible villain that you love to hate with every fiber of your being, and Kora is a fighter with a surprising past that you will love to root for.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

NEXT: The Iron Claw Review: A Deeply Devastating Story

About Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire

After crash landing on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a stranger with a mysterious past, begins a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. But she soon becomes their only hope for survival when the tyrannical Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee) and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), discover the farmers have unwittingly sold their crops to the Bloodaxes (Cleopatra Coleman and Ray Fisher) — leaders of a fierce group of insurgents hunted by the Motherworld.

Tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a legendary commander; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a master swordswoman; Tarak (Staz Nair), a captive with a regal past; and Milius (E. Duffy), a resistance fighter.

Back on Veldt, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), an ancient mechanized protector hiding in the wings, awakens with a new purpose. But the newly formed revolutionaries must learn to trust each other and fight as one before the armies of the Motherworld come to destroy them all.

Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire comes to Netflix December 22.