“Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves Traces”, review: brutal, explosive, but without originality

Zack Snyder is determined to make his mark on the science fiction genre. At least in that he delves into his unmistakable style of storytelling of sophisticated epics in the midst of brutal stories. He had already attempted this and achieved it with relative success in extinct Snyderverse from DK. Hence Rebel Moon. Part 1: Fire Girl, the first part of his most personal project and with all the freedom that Netflix offers, lived up to expectations. Especially because – theoretically – will allow the director to express his point of view without any restrictions Space Opera.

But the film failed miserably in its attempt to imitate Star Wars, as well as many other bigger, better-executed films. The mistakes that its second part makes and in a more problematic scenario, by doubling down on visual spectacle and ambition. Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves Traces continues the previous story without making much of an effort to go deeper or at least better explain its conflict. As such, the film is a festival of slow-motion scenes, clichés used with tedious frequency, and a bombastic, epic tone. Moreover, when the argument itself returns to its basic simplicity, tell the classic struggle between good and evil.

Again, the script by Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten follows Cora’s (Sofia Boutella) attempts to confront Motherworld. This galactic Empire, more than suspiciously similar to the one George Lucas imagined, suffered its first defeat at the hands of the heroine. Therefore, he prepares all his weapons not only to destroy the former member of his militia. Also, to show everyone who needs to understand him, he is at the peak of his power and does not hesitate to use all his firepower to crush any opposition. Including showing any rebel all his rage.

A story that gets boring quickly

This brings the film to the first battle scene. As you remember, in the previous film, the inhabitants of the agricultural planet Veldt had to face the blow of the Mother World. Namely: become a breadbasket for conquering troops and face the insults of Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein). Which led Cora, who had been sheltering in place, to come to the defense of the locals and become a fugitive and a leader. almost by accident, about the incipient uprising.

Given the entire context, it seems inevitable that Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves Traces From here I will start moving forward. But the plot is clunky and tedious due to numerous references to the emerging universe. This is also not very clear, unless a very evil empire rules everything. So the first half hour of the film is spent flashing back to what has happened so far.

At the same time, providing nothing more than a hasty summary and between tedious explanatory dialogues, which are a poor introduction to the film depending on its pacing. At the same time, it provides detailed information about the hierarchical structure of the established authority. However, nothing in the script is very precise or has its own personality. Everything seems to be a mixture of many things, none of which really stand out. A problem arising from the first part and not solved here in the slightest.

It is regrettable that Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves a Mark decline very quickly. This is despite the fact that there are elements at hand to convey the context well. After all, he had a whole film to explain in detail what was needed. Despite this, little is known about the Mother World, its cruelty and slavery from which the cosmos suffers. The script moves from one place to another, trying to unify the scenarios and make it clear that the best is yet to come. Only that insinuation knows little when along the way, the film needs to start breaking down the lives of its characters one by one and one at a time.

Two films in one

Perhaps that’s why Zack Snyder’s film feels like two premises fused into one that come together unevenly at some point near the end. On the one hand, there is everything related to the Veldt that Cora and company will try to protect with their lives. Including the confrontation with the fateful Admiral Noble, back to life and with the usual vengeance to satisfy.

On the other hand, the film needs to explore the background of each of its characters. Therefore, you will devote all the time possible to this. On the night before the battle begins, everyone will have to face the source of all their traumas and sorrows. This forces the film to explore, and in many ways, everything that could happen to the group of fighters recruited by Cora in the previous film.

The trick of bringing all the characters together to show their most human side is not new. But Zack Snyder fails to combine all the scenarios he proposes. Moreover, it is obvious that his intention is to delve deeper into the mythology he has created before revealing anything. These are stories not about warriors, fighters and anti-heroes, but about their worlds and how they influence the center of the Mother World. For Snyder, the need to demonstrate how broad his scope of work is, This is reflected in the essence of the story shown on screen.

Wholesale action scenes and again typical

Of course it is Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves Traces The central point is the battle. Veldt faces a danger so serious that it could destroy his very existence. In the third part, the film demonstrates all the director and script’s interest in narrating an epic event based on this point of view. The reason is clear. This story is excellent because it tells us that the universe will now discover that it can resist the Mother World. And that this opportunity – an army determined to deliver justice – could be the spark that ignites a similar phenomenon in many other places.

On this occasion, Zack Snyder is trying to add a lot of war cinema to his film. Therefore there are repeated references to The apocalypse has arrived, Thin red line and even the scene can almost be traced Dunkirk Christopher Nolan. But whether due to lack of time, substance, or the plot getting muddled, the film reaches its best part with a lot of ballast on its wings. Of the great type landscapes, episodes of which are taken directly from star Wars and even, Game of Thrones, the output knows little. Much more because of history’s need to create heroes to suit its needs. Heroes who shoot, jump, risk their lives in the middle a tedious sequence of episodes that lack anything to make them truly memorable.

In the end, Rebel Moon. Part 2: The Warrior Who Leaves Traces One thing is for sure. Conflict with Homeworld it’s just begun. So it is more than obvious that we will see many more films from this universe.An opportunity that turns the film into a sort of obligatory step towards something more, but without any real soul. Your biggest problem.