Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver

Right off the heels of the success of Dune, Netflix may be hoping to capitalise on the trend of sci-fi and space storytelling with Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon franchise. This second chapter follows the supposed death of Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) post the events of Part One: A Child of Fire. Here, he is seemingly revived and out for Kora’s (Sofia Boutella) blood – the woman who has given him a scar. Quite apropos given this instalment’s title. Meanwhile, the rest of the surviving members of protagonist’s group settle in Veldt and prepare to protect it from the incoming attack of the admiral and the Motherworld.

Visually, The Scargiver is truly a Snyder film, with its enthralling and larger-than-life visuals. The production makes as much use of the big budget provided. Veldt is beautiful and comes across as a home world worth defending. The fight sequences have that familiar flair with the combination of close-up shots and slow motion. It’s specifically reminiscent of the warehouse scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and post-No Man’s Land scene in Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman, which Snyder also produced.

That being said, there’s an overuse of the director’s trademark visual tricks throughout the movie. So often they appear in insignificant sequences that they lose their impact where it would matter the most: the fight scenes and emotional moments. It’s also quite tedious because the two-hour runtime is wasted on prolonged slow-motion sequences rather than developing character backstories or building up the upcoming cliffhanger, making the story feel rushed and superficial.

Where the film excels is in its portrayal of relationships, particularly among the defending warriors. From Nemesis (Doona Bae) growing a subtle yet strong bond with one of the farm kids in Veldt, to Titus (Djimon Hounsou) and Tarak (Staz Nair) standing their ground together at the incoming army – these are some of the more stimulating moments of Rebel Moon‘s second chapter. It’s a shame that these moments are far and few between, as most of the story’s focus remains on Kora and her journey.

While Boutella does her best with the material she’s given, the character’s inherent unlikability makes the film challenging to watch. It’s the same problem Brie Larson faced in Captain Marvel: she is riddled with Mary Sue-like clichés such as being the “chosen one” and the strongest of them all, and she wears one facial expression through the entire course of the picture. Characters such as Nemesis and Miilius (Elise Duffy) showcase Snyder’s ability to write strong and empowering female roles, even with their limited screen time. That’s why it’s confusing to see the lead struggle to connect with the audience. The film’s heavy-handed expository narration too often tells rather than shows, which doesn’t help its overall impact.

While Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver is visually stunning, its inability to do justice to its protagonist ultimately lets it down. There are some interesting relationship dynamics that would’ve been intriguing to explore, but all that is traded for rushed backstories and excessive use of slow motion. Visual over substance, Snyder’s latest release misses the mark by focusing on the wrong things.

Mae Trumata

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver is released on Netflix on 19^th April 2023.

Watch the trailer for Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver here: