IN Rebel Moon (Part Two): The Warrior Who Leaves TracesZack Snyder has absolute creative freedom thanks to Netflix’s interest in creating his own franchise. Therefore, the film and its first part are a large-scale experiment in building one’s own mythology point by point. The result is a journey through planets, political situations and combat scenarios, the sole purpose of which is to explore a possible new cinematic saga. That is, without any restrictions and with carte blanche to delve into his often contradictory views on the stock. But what should have benefited Snyder and his premise resulted in a number of issues of content and form common to his work. Only now they reach a new level of depth and awkwardness.
Both feature films were criticized for almost the same reasons. So much Rebel Moon (Part One): Fire Girl“Like its sequel, it is a collection of platitudes that seem to struggle to survive without references to larger works. And also because of the abuse of visual and narrative resources already known from Zack Snyder’s filmography. The truth is that the upcoming saga is not able to show all its capabilities, despite the ambitious production and script. Moreover, the original idea of the films – the author of which is Snyder – loses its meaning and solidity. in the midst of a visual and narrative disorder that is almost uncomfortable.
With all that said, we leave you with three reasons why Rebel Moon (Part Two): The Trail Warrior fails miserably. From a series of missteps in telling what could have been the start of a massive franchise, to being overly attached to the obsessions of its director. The list covers the problems that usually surround the director’s work and which are more evident here than ever. The film’s biggest problem.
A series of unnecessary references and winks
No one doubts this: every cinematic work builds on many others and, without a doubt, comes from symbols of a larger universe. In other words, there is no film that is completely autonomous and original. However, Zack Snyder abuses this resource in his saga, which inevitably refers to star Wars not just in the way your conflict is presented. Also, to increase your bet, which tries to show the legendary struggle between good and evil.
Therefore the good part Rebel Moon (Part Two): The Warrior Who Leaves Traces, is all too familiar to any science fiction fan. Much more from the George Lucas franchise. And the references go far beyond mere respect and in some cases become obvious copying of already known topics. The evil Motherworld, a galactic empire with authoritarian overtones, borrows excess elements from the empire led by Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). The same can be said for Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), who, despite lacking the complexity of Anakin/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen), goes through a more or less similar journey. Even Cora (Sofia Boutella) is a simpler version of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and his heroic conflict.
But the similarities don’t end there. The agricultural moon of the Veldt, the center of the climactic battle between the heroes and their opponents, is very similar to the desert of Tatooine. The heroes’ weapons are sabers and laser knives, suspiciously similar to the iconic ones used by the Jedi. However, it is in the central conflict and the way it is presented that the similarities become very apparent. For the universe told by Zack Snyder, evil is that power tries to dominate and push away the cosmos in a single view of power. The topic that star Wars poses of complex philosophical symbols that the Snyders enjoy by subtracting depth.
An awkward film that tells its own story
One of the most glaring problems with Rebel Moon (Part Two): The Warrior Who Leaves Traces also lies in its pacing as a film. Especially when trying to incorporate numerous elements from its universe in the middle of a flat story about conflict between villains and heroes. Of course, the script by Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten, based on Snyder’s own idea, follows a familiar hero’s journey. So all his characters sooner or later They will achieve redemption, leaving behind a turbulent and often violent past.
But Zack Snyder fails to convey a complex emotional and moral journey. His greatest contribution to the development of his characters are the long expository conversations that explore their lives in a very direct way. The fate of each of them seems to depend on this type of information rather than on actual maturity achieved through achievement and knowledge. What the film actually misses is the fact that the characters who choose to give their lives to save others are better developed. Their conflict comes to a head in a long conversation in which each explains their past. However, all this is nothing more than information.
The problem repeats itself as the plot tries to concentrate all aspects of the story being told in one place. From the betrayal that led to the murder of the ruling royal family, to Cora’s quest for peace. The feeling is that there are a large number of scenes, storytelling moments and situations that are not going anywhere. What makes the plot a blank look at the group characters with no other purpose than to advance the plot.
A mixture of many things without any conclusion
Although both the original film and Rebel Moon (Part Two): The Warrior Who Leaves Traces They add up to almost four hours, the script doesn’t complete its idea. Or at least the most important ones, which turns the stories into a long prologue to something else that is never shown. Both plots end up being a huge, intricate scenario in which dozens of characters and their surroundings coexist.
Everything, without origin and evolution. Another obvious reference to the classics – this time: 7 samurai Akira Kurosawa – all the interest in the film is devoted to the future defense of the Veldt moon. Now this central scene, which is supposed to be the focal point of a long journey, ends up being an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of its protagonists. And that’s without the plot really trying to explore their greatest capabilities. or emotional redemption beyond the possibility of dying in battle.
The thing is, the film fails to complete its ideas beyond the almost accidental triumph of its heroes over their enemies. What the film will ultimately clarify is just the research – confusing and unclear –about mythology that tells superficially.
Source: Hiper Textual
