‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver’ Review: Struggles to Shine Despite a Stronger Focus

This review was made possible by an advance screening of Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver. Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver releases on Netflix on April 19, 2024. 

What was said to be the toughest foe for the Star Wars franchise has barely been able to stomp out an Ewok. Yes, the Rebel Moon franchise, Netflix’s big-budget sci-fi franchise from Zack Snyder has released it’s second part, the first notoriously failing to skyrocket the franchise into the best of reception… but with a second film already down, what’s left to lose?

A Lot.

These are not hard films to follow, they have pretty straightforward stories, but while that isn’t always a bad thing, there just have to be some other redeeming features. Luckily this film isn’t as bad as the first, in the idea that much less happens here, and that helps the film out. The first suffered a lot due to how much it had to setup while also introducing so many characters, but at the same time did absolutely no heaving lifting in any development department.

This film sees our team of mercenaries return to the farm planet Veldt, believing General Noble to be dead and the Dreadnaught having set course to return to the motherworld. Of course that isn’t the case, and when the team realizes that they only have five days before the might of the motherworld is upon them, they quickly get to work prepping the village and its people for a battle.

Action Figure Smashing

Luckily the film gives a bit more time with our gang of warriors, allowing us to get to know them a little bit more, all while still falling massively short. Attempts are definitely made here to make these characters likable, but it doesn’t nearly as much as it has to, considering the first film gives this one nothing to work with.

The one bright side is that they finally let Djimon Honsou have a role in this film and not just show up and stand around. He’s probably the most likable character of the bunch because they actually show you what kind of person he is; they actually work with him and don’t just use him as eye candy like some of these other characters.

Unfortunately the most we get out of most of the cast here is just them sitting around a table taking turns exposition-dumping their backstories. Things that maybe should’ve been touched upon more in Part One, rather than saving it all for the second and dumping it all on audiences within a five minute window.

Once again, Bae Doona and Staz Nair have very little to work with. Two characters who are probably some of the most interesting of the bunch are just there to look cool. Nemesis is the character who probably gets dealt the absolute worst hand in these two films. We never really got to learn much about her, and what we did was just poorly thrown in there.

Also the ending of the last movie made it feel like we were gonna get a lot more Jimmy in this one. We do not; we probably get around the same amount of him, honestly maybe even less. Anthony Hopkins provides the voice to this peculiar piece of technology and quite possibly has the best arc of any of these characters, at least when the movies lets itself focus on it.

Zack ‘Slow-Mo’ Snyder

Here is where that criticism of overusing slow-mo has finally been proven accurate. Never before did the action feel so apparent and in-your-face; it felt like it was used more and more as the film progressed. It feels like they think it may make some of the poorly choreographed fights look cooler, but it ultimately is incredibly distracting and at times a bit annoying.

On that topic, the fights are just fine, nothing to write home about, unless you’re writing about how much slow-mo is in every single one of them.

Makes you wonder if the director’s cuts are so much longer because they’re completely in slow motion.

Just Not Cutting It

Let’s talk about the real thing holding these movies back: Netflix’s attempt to latch onto the “Snyder Cut” craze, to duplicate the situation and build the level of hype that movement had – spoiler alert – they can’t. The last film’s release was met with waves of fans telling others that they have to wait for the director’s cuts, that those cuts are the real vision, these are not those. Should they be given a chance? Definitely! Could they be better films? Sure! The real issue here is Netflix kneecapping this franchise from the get go by not just letting Snyder make what he intended.

If what Snyder and his fans are saying about these cuts being much more developed films is true, then bring it on; if they do indeed have the character development they desperately need, love to hear it. These “Netflix cuts” just don’t work; what we’re seeing here seems like it would play out much better as a series rather than films.

We have an impressive cast here that is wasted in these two films. They barely ever do anything to earn an ounce of your support. It’s rare to find a likable attribute in these lifeless characters. They lack any sort of emotional depth and you’re often left empty handed with them.

‘Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver’ – Final Thoughts

Don’t blame this mess on Snyder, not just yet – blame these major mishaps on Netflix, in an attempt to garner some clout. If you’re going to get Snyder and seemingly give him blank checks to bankroll his original ideas, let him make what he actually wants to make; you’re a streamer, you really don’t have to hold back like you are. I once wondered in if I should even care about the director’s cuts… that opinion has changed; bring them on and let us see what Snyder really had in mind for this world.

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver releases on Netflix on April 19, 2024. Check out the trailer below.