The year is drawing to an end, and most of 2023’s new movies have come and gone, but there’s still time for another offering before the Christmas/New Year festivities take over. The film is Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, a brand-new sci-fi picture which arrives on Netflix today.
Directed and co-written by Zack Snyder, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire stars Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, and Anthony Hopkins. As the title suggests, the film is the first entry in a multi-part story, with Part Two following in 2024.
In the movie, a warship from the Motherworld lands on the planet Veldt, looking to buy supplies from a peaceful farming community. The locals reluctantly make a deal with the soldiers, hoping they will leave them alone if they comply, but they soon get more trouble than they bargained for.
Not only do the villagers need to supply almost all of their crops, leaving them with insufficient food to feed their own people, they also have to deal with an influx of soldiers. These soldiers set up camp, and threaten the future of the village.
Fearing for her own safety, former soldier turned farmer, Kora, decides now is the time to leave the village. She has been living in hiding as a farmer in recent times, after opting for a more peaceful life, but she knows her secret will soon be exposed.
But when one of the villagers is attacked, and is about to be sexually assaulted, Kora springs into action. She kills all of the soldiers and saves the young woman.
Aware there will now be a backlash from the Motherworld, Kora finds herself with a new mission, to recruit allies to protect the village. She sets off with fellow farmer, Gunnar to find warriors willing to join her cause.
Playing out like a cross between Star Wars, Dune, and Seven Samurai, with a smattering of Clash of the Titans and one or two other ‘80s films, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is a sci-fi fantasy picture loaded with imaginative ideas, scenes of spectacle, and a fair bit of exposition. The movie is the opening entry in a two-part epic, and has to simultaneously entertain and set the scene accordingly.
For the most part it does this well, and Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is an enjoyable film. Yes, it is highly derivative, and occasionally a bit stuffy in places, but even when it’s knocking off the Cantina scene from A New Hope or babbling on about the Imperium or the Motherworld, it’s never less than likeable.
This is a world filled with aliens, droids, bounty hunters, and laser swords. You’ve seen it all before, but if you’re a fan of this kind of thing, there’s no reason you won’t want more.
Highlights of the film include the world-building, the effects, and the action scenes. Director Zack Snyder has a knack for delivering movies which know how to tickle the eyeballs in just the right way, and he doesn’t come up short here.
From a spider-woman and a flying beast, to plundered worlds and characters wearing fabulous capes and military regalia, there’s always something to draw your attention. Snyder can never be accused of failing to deliver in the visuals department, and he maintains his reputation with this film.
Where things are less impressive are in the scripting, as well as in the general story. There’s not a great deal going on here, and when you cut back on a bit of the waffle, a good chunk of Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is largely one long recruitment drive.
Kora and Gunnar go out to find allies, they encounter one, then another, and so on and so on. After a while it becomes a bit repetitive, and you can’t help but feel that some of the encounters could have been edited down to a quick montage.
Thankfully this isn’t the plot of the entire film, and things do get switched up a little in the final 40 minutes. The film still doesn’t offer anything original at this point, but it’s perfectly fine, and if you’re not already on board by this stage, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire probably isn’t for you anyway.
Those who are invested will be happy to see where this all goes. There is definitely enough here to latch onto and a reason to come back for the second instalment next year.
While Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is essentially a hodgepodge of ideas, lifted from many recognisable movies that have come before, it is nevertheless well-constructed and entertaining. The film boasts Snyder’s signature flare for the dramatic, as well as his bold visual style, and there’s enough action to keep things going.
The story is basic, and largely nonexistent, but it is serviceable and the cast make the most of what they’ve got. All-in-all, not bad, and it should prove popular over the festive season.
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One Response to Review: Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)
This is going on my Xmas viewing list.
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