Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, and Anthony Hopkins are among the stars of this sequel to the director's space epic.
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| Staz Nair and Djimon Hounsou in 'Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver.' CLAY ENOS/NETFLIX |
Wheat. Fields of wheat.
That seems to be the primary focus of the second installment of Zack Snyder’s cosmic adventure, which, depending on your viewpoint, either pays homage to or borrows heavily from past epics like Seven Samurai and Star Wars. When you combine the runtimes of both Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver and its predecessor, you're looking at well over four hours.
Notably, a significant portion of this film involves the characters laboriously harvesting wheat, a sequence that feels longer than a Swedish art film. While the setting is an alternate universe, the presence of spaceships and advanced weaponry makes it a tad absurd that farming technology hasn't progressed beyond scythes. Nevertheless, the incredibly fit cast members look impressive wielding them.
Such contemplations are inevitable when faced with this aspiring epic, which follows the journey of a disparate group of farmers residing on the moon of Veldt, facing extinction at the hands of the imperialistic Motherworld. Their adversaries, the Imperium, are commanded by Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), who awakens understandably irritable after a near-death experience in the previous installment.
The farmers, on the other hand, have been marshaled into a fighting unit by Kora (Sofia Boutella), akin to Luke Skywalker, assembling a team of mercenaries including the cyborg Nemesis (Doona Bae) wielding a lightsword, the always-shirtless Tarak (Staz Nair), the rugged farmer Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), and former Imperium general Titus (Djimon Hounsou). Additionally, there's the eloquent robot, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), delivering a standout performance in the film without even needing to appear on set.
If you felt the previous film was primarily buildup, you might be dismayed to find that the sequel is... even more buildup. However, this time around, it's a bit more briskly paced and culminates in an extensive battle sequence that occupies roughly the latter half of the film. It's challenging to gauge the exact timing, though, as Snyder employs his signature slow-motion technique so liberally that the movie might seem short if viewed at normal speed.
This prolonged build up includes, believe it or not, a lengthy ceremony where many of the heroic characters are honored with awards. (It's difficult to fault Snyder and his co-screenwriters Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten for this, as it's highly improbable that the film itself will receive any accolades.)
Additionally, there's an extended scene in which Titus instructs his fellow warriors to recount their backstories, presented in a series of flashbacks that feel like the cinematic equivalent of speed dating.
The first film faced criticism for its lack of memorable dialogue, plot elements, or characters, and this sequel doesn’t do much to remedy those aspects unless you count Titus singing a mournful lament before battle as a positive (Hounsou does have a surprisingly nice voice). However, none of the actors can be faulted, as they demonstrate an impressive commitment to their physically demanding roles, many sporting the kind of toned, muscular physiques that most of us can only dream of.
Boutella and Skrein are particularly notable in this regard, especially in a dynamic hand-to-hand fight sequence on a chaotic spaceship that feels like it lasts for hours (though it probably doesn’t).
The extended battle scenes that conclude Rebel Moon are undeniably impressive, which is fortunate since they are the film’s main focus. Snyder showcases his visual flair and action prowess that have garnered him a dedicated fanbase willing to endure multiple versions of his films. This dedication is evident in his announcement of R-rated director’s cuts for both films, each running about three hours long. One might question the purpose of watching versions that lack his full endorsement.
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