Rebel Moon reviews slam Zack Snyder's Netflix epic as ‘pointless, bewildering disaster’

Zack Snyder’s passion project inspired by Seven Samurai and Star Wars has been in the works for years and is now set to hit Netflix in time for Christmas.

The multi-million dollar space opera is split across two parts, with Part One: A Child of Fire to be followed in April with Part Two: The Scargiver.

Express.co.uk caught the premiere of the first part which we found highly ambitious and beautiful to look at but with a largely dull storyline offering nothing new.

Meanwhile, other critics have lambasted Rebel Moon, which stars Sofia Boutella and Charlie Hunnam, with a number of 1 and 2 star reviews from major outlets.

As it stands Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire has just 28 per cent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes with a green splat.

The Telegraph
That even after a reported 20 years in the making the film still feels fundamentally pointless isn’t just disappointing, it’s entirely bewildering.

The Guardian
Zack Snyder’s Netflix disaster…mistakes exposition for world-building, the lugubriously delivered reams of backstory removing the audience from the fantasy rather than immersing them in it.

The Independent
Snyder mistakes exposition for world-building, the lugubriously delivered reams of backstory removing the audience from the fantasy rather than immersing them in it.

Digital Spy
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire bears all the familiar traits of a Zack Snyder movie – from the good to the bad – and if you’re not already a convert, you will be wondering what all the fuss is about.

Empire
Despite some cool action sequences and interesting aliens, the first Rebel Moon instalment is a disjointed ride through an under-realised universe.

Other critics were more forgiving…

Screen Rant
With Rebel Moon, Zack Snyder is positively bursting with exciting ideas, but they lack compelling characters and a solid plot to hold them up.

Total Film
Snyder’s passion project risks becoming subsumed by its own self-importance, but delivers bombastic mayhem and grandiose visuals by the bucket-load.

Metro
With The Scargiver already reportedly wrapped filming, and Rebel Moon 3 currently being written by Snyder, we’ll just have to hope that this disappointing first part is groundwork for bigger and better films in the franchise.

BBC
The film may not be up to much, but the story behind it proves that even the most far-fetched childhood dreams really can come true.

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is out now in select cinemas and hits Netflix on December 22, 2023.