Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire, Zack Snyder’s latest science fiction epic, has a shockingly low critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it makes his grand franchise plans risky. Advertised as an interplanetary saga in the same vein as Star Wars (in fact, Rebel Moon started out as a Star Wars pitch), the film has been criticized as a derivative and shallow retread of sci-fi conventions rather than an exciting new take on the genre. Though this film is meant to be the first part of a larger story, poor reviews are hurting Snyder’s chances of developing Rebel Moon into a popular franchise.
Rebel Moon’s current Rotten Tomatoes score from critics is a devastating 21%. Immediately after its release, the film’s score was even worse, at a mere 9%; this debut sets a new Rotten Tomatoes record for Zack Snyder, whose worst Rotten Tomatoes score up until that point had been Sucker Punch’s 22%. Rebel Moon is only playing in select theaters at the time of writing, meaning the score may shift after the film is released on Netflix. A wider audience will certainly tilt the audience score, at least, in a more favorable direction for Snyder. Unfortunately, the early embarrassment of being ravaged by critics still poses a threat to Rebel Moon: Part Two.
Rebel Moon Part One’s Low RT Score Will Hurt Viewership For Part Two
For longtime fans of Zack Snyder’s work, Rebel Moon may still be an enjoyable watch. One of the main takeaways from negative reviews of Rebel Moon is that it prioritizes style over substance, so those who love Snyder’s signature bombastic style may be willing to forgive the film’s other shortcomings. However, Rebel Moon’s 21% RT score will be enough to scare away those who aren’t devoted to Snyder’s work. Rotten Tomatoes scores are among the first facts to pop up when a movie title is googled, and given the wealth of other science fiction content available on Netflix, a score of 21% will likely be enough to kill off interest in the Rebel Moon franchise.
Why Rebel Moon’s Release Strategy Was Always A Risk For Netflix
Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver’s release date is only five months after the release of Part One. The strategy of releasing a movie in two parts is certainly not a novel one, but it presents a risk for Netflix. If Rebel Moon: Part One kills off interest in the franchise, Part Two could turn out to be an even bigger disappointment. Both films will also be getting R-rated director’s cuts, which adds another dubious layer to the marketing strategy. The viral #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement following Justice League (2017) drummed up mass support for the director, but a director’s cut may be less enticing in the case of Rebel Moon.
Unlike Justice League, which was finished by Joss Whedon, Rebel Moon was helmed by Snyder from start to finish, meaning he had every chance to include elements he thought were relevant to the story. If there were details Snyder wanted to include in the original cut, he likely would have included them in the first place, especially as Netflix has been giving him free rein in his projects. Further, if there was so much information to be explained, it’s arguable that Rebel Moon should have been a show or miniseries instead of a two-part movie. The first installment has already been criticized for being too inflated with worldbuilding, and a director’s cut may solidify the opinion that Rebel Moon would have worked better as a show.
Rebel Moon
Rebel Moon is a multi-media franchise created by Zack Snyder that begins with the first film, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, released in 2023. The franchise follows a woman named Kora, who once worked for an authoritarian regime that now dominates the universe. To atone for the crimes she was complicit in, Kora heads across the galaxy to gather a team to fight back and free their worlds.
