Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire, the first part of a two-part film directed by Zack Snyder, had an incredible amount of buzz before it was released on Netflix. In turn, the streamer gave the pic a pretty substantial marketing push.
And on paper, it seems that decision worked as the movie was a statistical success, gaining 23.9 million views in the first three days of its release, making it the ninth-best Netflix film of 2023. A big accomplishment, considering that it was released near the end of the year.
However, critics were less than kind, with A Child of Fire garnering a 21% approval rating on the Rotten Tomatoes aggregate website. Review scores for the film averaged to 3.2 out of 5.
As the lead character, actress Sofia Boutella (Argylle, Atomic Blonde) was in the forefront of the movie's marketing blitz and in a recent interview with Vulture, she spoke up about how the overwhelming number of unfavorable reviews negatively affected her.
Said Boutella, "I always thought that I was fully armed to take on those punches, and then I read the critics that came down on Rebel Moon and it really affected me."
She went on to add, "And I'm just gonna be honest about it. I feel like I'm carrying it for everybody that cared so much about this project, and that's what affected me. Not the way I look. If anything, I've been pretty lucky and people like my work in it, but the movie was criticized. It really affected me for all of those who put so much heart, tears, and sweat in this project. It's hard to see something being demolished to that extent. I'm proud to have been part of it, and if there is no more Rebel Moon, it will be a very important part of my life that I will defend forever."
Both Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire and Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver will have a director's cut that will be released in the Spring. Each will receive more than an hour's worth of additional content.
Perhaps this additional footage will address the criticism surrounding the film which is chiefly centered on the movie's basic and at some points, nonsensical story.
A Child of Fire was released by Netflix on December 22, 2023. The Scargiver will drop on April 19, 2024.
The Rebel Moon cast includes Boutella as Kora- the primary protagonist of the film, and Fra Fee (Hawkeye) as Regent Balisarius- the film's primary antagonist.
Also starring in the film are Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Michiel Huisman (World War Z, Game of Thrones), Djimon Hounsou (Shazam), Doona Bae (Jupiter Ascending, Cloud Atlas), Ray Fisher (Justice League), Cleopatra Coleman (The Last Man on Earth, Cobweb), Jena Malone (Sucker Punch, Neon Demon), Ed Skrein (Deadpool, Alita: Battle Angel), and Anthony Hopkins (Thor: Ragnarok, The Rite).
About Rebel Moon: 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.