REBEL MOON Director Zack Snyder On Movie's Negative Reception: "I Don’t Really Have A Rebuttal To The Reviews"

REBEL MOON Director Zack Snyder On Movie's Negative Reception: "I Don’t Really Have A Rebuttal To The Reviews"

The first part of Zack Snyder's Netflix sci-fi adventure, Rebel Moon, was not well-received by critics, and the filmmaker has now commented on those negative reviews...

By MarkCassidy - Mar 13, 2024 08:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi
Source: Via SFF Gazette

Rebel Moon: Part 1 - A Child of Fire, the first film in Zack Snyder's two-part sci-fi epic, was pretty much torn to shreds by critics when it premiered on Netflix last December.

With a dreadful 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics consensus reads: "Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire proves Zack Snyder hasn't lost his visual flair, but eye candy isn't enough to offset a storyline made up of various sci-fi/fantasy tropes."

Many would argue that "borrowing" liberally from better films (there are plenty of great movies out there that also happen to be a little derivative) was the least of Rebel Moon's problems (you can check out our verdict here), but, as is often the case with Snyder's movies, it does also have its share of defenders.

Snyder was asked about A Child of Fire's negative reception during an interview with Empire.

“I don’t really have a rebuttal to the reviews,” he responded. “For whatever reason, the reaction to my movies is very polarising, and it always has been. The movie, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much in it that would warrant such visceral responses.”

While it's certainly true that Snyder's movies do tend to be divisive, not all of his projects have received such negative feedback. Part Two - The Scargiver releases next month, but based on Snyder's comments, we're not sure if he's taken any of the (valid) criticisms of the first film on board.

What did you make of Rebel Moon: Part One? Be sure to share your thoughts down below.

From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival.

Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.

The heroes of Rebel Moon are: Kora (Sofia Boutella), an Imperium deserter who leaves the peaceful Veldt to fight back; Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a mercenary pilot whose Tawau-Class freighter will prove invaluable to Kora’s quest; Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a Veldt farmer who knows little of the galaxy outside of his small, quiet corner of the galaxy; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a hardened gladiator who once served the Imperium; Tarak (Staz Nair), a noble indentured servant who shares a bond with a flying creature called a Bennu; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a cyborg sword master whose mechanical hands allow her to wield molten-metal weapons; Darrian Bloodaxe (Ray Fisher), an insurgent who has been harrying the Imperium with guerilla attacks; and Milius (E. Duffy), a refugee who seeks justice for their home — a colony that has already fallen to the Mother World.

Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire is now on Netflix. The sequel, Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver, will debut on April 19, 2024.

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bobevanz
bobevanz - 3/13/2024, 8:09 AM
Ignorance is bliss lol
bobevanz
bobevanz - 3/13/2024, 8:16 AM
We need more out of focus shots! And more generic characters without backstories! Somebody tell him that goes I the first act of the first movie.. good grief
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 3/13/2024, 9:32 AM
@bobevanz - this guy simply doesnt get it... like at all.
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 8:16 AM
For me, this guy is in the same category as James Gunn, he has done some okay work but people expect way more from him than he has shown he can deliver.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 3/13/2024, 8:17 AM
@tluciotti74 - 🥴 that's silly
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 8:25 AM
@tluciotti74 - think Gunn has very much proven he can deliver. The incarnations of the characters might not be to everybody's liking, but the arcs they go through are well-written.
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 9:08 AM
@bkmeijer1 - For me he has proven has can do two things. He can make some interesting horror and he can make campy comedy stuff using characters/villians that are not top of everyone's list because that is all Guardians, Suicide, and Peacemaker really are. I think he does some cool stuff that fits into what he does but how everyone thinks he has done enough to be the one that is going to save DC, that I do not get
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 3/13/2024, 9:40 AM
@tluciotti74 - The worst Gunn directed movie is lightyears better than the "best" Snyder movie.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 9:49 AM
@tluciotti74 - I get that. So far he's done mostly obscure characters. Superman will be a test, as it's his first real A-lister.

Still, I trust him to give Superman a solid character arc, as Peter Quill, Rocket Raccoon and Peacemaker are all protagonists that had that too. He pretty much turned them in A-listers too
DarthAlgar
DarthAlgar - 3/13/2024, 10:05 AM
@tluciotti74 - Even you know that's a load of BS.

I think you're just trying to get a rise out of people.

Or you're just naturally stupid.

Pick one.
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 10:26 AM
@DarthAlgar - thanks for your opinion, luckily after reading it I also think your opinion is stupid so glad we could find common ground
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 10:28 AM
@FinnishDude - I, personally, disagree with that take but I get that many people feel there is a huge gap between them.
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 10:32 AM
@bkmeijer1 - I am definitely on a wait and see path with this. I see him announcing characters such as Mr Terrific and Hawkgirl, who are great for comic readers, but does it fall into the same problem the original DC movies had of an expectation of some knowledge in the comics or will he be able to flesh out all of these characters not known to general public in a first out, large movie like this. I am not saying he can not or will not but it seems like a lot to pull off
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 10:41 AM
@tluciotti74 - yeah, he has a lot of characters with Superman, Lex, Lois, Jimmy Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, Eve Teschmacher and The Engineer.

I think the first four will definitely get their due, and the others being fleshed out to a certain extent. Kinda like how Guardians 1 had the Guardians in major roles, and Nebula and the Nova Corps in minor roles.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 10:42 AM
Just realized GL, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl and Metamorpho is such an odd collection of superheroes, that they must service a role in the story
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 3/13/2024, 11:31 AM
@bkmeijer1 - My guess would be something to do with JSA, maybe a soft introduction to that team in some way
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 11:38 AM
@tluciotti74 - I'm thinking so as well. Doubt they're gonna do the Justice League (International) already. Might save that for it's own movie
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/13/2024, 1:37 PM
@FinnishDude - Naw dude, 300, Watchmen, and Man of Steel are way better films than Super.
RichardGrayson
RichardGrayson - 3/13/2024, 3:16 PM
@DarthAlgar - I don’t have a dog in this race, but this post made me cringe. You think you sounded so cool and smart lol but you just sound like a dork who had his feelings hurt. Snyder and Gunn are both good at what they do.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 8:23 AM
Polarising is a big word, as there is indeed nothing that warrants such visceral responses. Think it's liked and disliked for different reasons, which are almost mutually exclusive.

On the one side are the people that think it's story and characters are bad, whereas on the other side are the people that think it's another example of Snyder's great (visual) style.
SATW42
SATW42 - 3/13/2024, 1:27 PM
@bkmeijer1 - "Polarising is a big word". So big that people don't know how to spell it.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 1:35 PM
@SATW42 - then how should I? Only thing I can think of is -ize instead of -ise, but that just depends on me choosing to use US English instead of UK English.
SATW42
SATW42 - 3/13/2024, 1:45 PM
@bkmeijer1 - It does seem to be considered the way to spell in in among the UK, etc, but I can't find any official dictionary that doesn't list it as polarizing. Polarising also comes up as a typo, FWIW.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/13/2024, 3:04 PM
@SATW42 - didn't really think about it. Kinda figured -ise was fine, considering the article used it as well
Deadinside
Deadinside - 3/14/2024, 10:49 AM
@SATW42 -
@bkmeijer1 -
The spelling of that word is so...well, you know...😜☮️
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 3/13/2024, 8:25 AM
He just can't be honest for a single moment, can he?

He does have a rebuttal, and it's the already announced re-edit that will attempt to address the criticisms of his beta release.

Or are we still pretending that his alleged "director's cuts" aren't reactionary?
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/13/2024, 8:27 AM
Opinions are subjective (obviously), but when it comes to certain aspects of filmmaking, some things can just be objectively sub par. Rebel Moon has glaring structure and narrative issues... it doesn't matter if you happen to liked it, that can still be true.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 3/13/2024, 8:47 AM
He gets to make the movies he wants to make. Can't fault him for that. Don't have a desire to see the Rebel Moon movies, other than through clips; it just doesn't appeal to me. I'd love to see him do something smaller and of the tone/feel of Dawn of the Dead again. (Army of the Dead wasn't it.) Just something more intimate. (And not the porn he wants to make.)
GhostDog
GhostDog - 3/13/2024, 8:51 AM
His movies lack self control and patience.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 3/13/2024, 8:56 AM

It's simple.

Michael Bay thinks he is Michael Bay. He's right.

Zack Snyder thinks he's Chris Nolan. He's wrong.

Zack Snyder is Michael Bay with delusions of grandeur.
CaptainCheese
CaptainCheese - 3/13/2024, 9:04 AM
If pegging is your thing. Enjoy Zack Snyder's films.
PartyKiller
PartyKiller - 3/13/2024, 9:08 AM
Snyder and his fans think pretty visuals in a movie automatically makes the movie good. In Snyder's movies the visuals and hundreds of millions he spent making them, are all wasted.
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 3/13/2024, 9:32 AM
I think Zack should be a story boarder or a cinematographer
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 3/13/2024, 9:39 AM
This guy needs to learn some self-reflective skills. It's OK to be proud of your work and stand by your creative choices, but when all you can do is to constantly blame the audience when your works keep both flopping and getting trashed critically, it's maybe time ask yourself if they have a point.
Forthas
Forthas - 3/13/2024, 10:42 AM
"...but based on Snyder's comments, we're not sure if he's taken any of the (valid) criticisms of the first film on board."

THIS is the problem with him in a nutshell. Even Denis Villeneuve who made my second favorite Sci Fi film of all time Dune Part 1 said he learned the lessons of the weaknesses in the film then went on to make my favorite Sci Fi film of all time - Dune Part 2.
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