Do We Want Or Need A Snyder-Cut Of ‘Rebel Moon’?

Zack Snyder’s latest film Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child Of Fire hit Netflix last week and has been met with mixed reviews. Despite this, Snyder is teasing a new R-rated cut.

Anyone who follows Snyder’s work knows a director’s cut is a fairly common practice for his films. The most prominent example is Justice League, which saw his version reaching four hours in length, including countless new scenes and an F-bomb from Batman.

Considering the huge response the Snyder-cut of Justice League received from both media and the public, it’s no surprise that Netflix is looking to capitalise on this phenomenon. 

Watch the trailer for Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child Of Fire

“All of my director’s cuts existed as a response to the things that were demanded of me to take out of the theatrical version, right?” said Snyder, speaking with JoBlo.

“We knew it would be a PG-13 movie. In my heart of hearts, I’d always wanted it to be rated R, but you realise this sort of scale and cost of a movie like this… [They were] like, ‘What if we said do whatever you want over here? Do the PG-13 version and then go nuts. We don’t care.’”

But adding blood, swearing and more slo-mo isn’t going to improve a film that is lack-lusting at its core. 

In short, A Child Of Fire’s narrative is just an unnecessarily detailed montage of getting the band together that culminates in a brief battle. Looking past this, the other story and visual elements are incredibly derivative of sci-fi films that have come before it in a way that doesn’t seem poetic, but just kinda uninspired. 

So what can the Snyder-cut of A Child Of Fire actually deliver? 

Regardless of the release of the director’s cuts, part two of Rebel Moon, titled The Scargiver is set to drop on Netflix in April 2024. 

Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child Of Fire is available to stream on Netflix, now.

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