I Survived a Marathon of Zack Snyder’s Unrated ‘Rebel Moon’ — But Still Can’t Tell You Why It Exists

As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen enough movies to fill a small cinema. And let me tell you, Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon” is something else entirely – a wild, sprawling amalgamation of everything that has come before it. It’s like watching an android with an existential crisis try to find its purpose, wandering through the fields of cinema history with a crown of references on its head.

At the American Cinématheque’s marathon screening of Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon” this weekend, I encountered an unusually long queue for the men’s restroom during intermission – a line that had formed after more than three hours without a break, with even more to come. In stark contrast, there were barely any women attending the event, resulting in almost no wait at all for the ladies’ room – a situation that spoke volumes about the audience that gathered for this extended viewing of Snyder’s two-part space opera director’s cut on the big screen.

Restating the given text in a simpler manner: Instead of referring to this expanded, violent version of “Rebel Moon” as a “director’s cut,” it is more accurate to view it as an exaggerated and unnecessary portrayal of the project, originally intended to have two distinct versions. One was meant to be PG-13 with intense action, while the other, now released, is significantly longer, filled with excessive violence, nudity, sex, and additional background information that doesn’t fundamentally change the core narrative.

“Regardless of how you look at it, ‘Rebel Moon’ is a less-than-impressive film. During the post-screening Q&A, Zack Snyder cautioned that there are an additional four to five movies planned after this one. Not only that, but he mentioned they’re also developing an animated movie, though its production may not be confirmed yet.”

To put it more casually and from a fan’s perspective, I’d say “Luc Besson and Snyder, in my opinion, share a similar creative approach – that of a 13-year-old boy. Don’t get me wrong, they both have the technical skills, but their imaginations seem to have been somewhat constrained by puberty. In ‘Rebel Moon’, we see Snyder trying to outdo all previous sci-fi minds, yet his focus on certain visual aspects feels restrictive, much like watching an enthusiastic kid building a world with someone else’s Legos. I’m eagerly anticipating if he can come up with anything truly original.”

Ultimately, the fault lies with Snyder as he was granted full creative authority over both versions of the project (even though Peter Jackson shares some accountability for setting this pattern with his expanded versions of “The Lord of the Rings”). This situation is akin to experiencing the fulfillment of seeing Snyder’s original vision for “Justice League.” When Snyder faced a personal hardship, Joss Whedon took over directing duties for that DC movie adaptation. Four years later, securing “The Snyder Cut” felt like an authentic triumph against a cautious studio.

Instead, contrary to expectation, Snyder’s enhanced “Rebel Moon” rereleases are not artistic masterpieces by any means. On the contrary, it appears that the freedom to produce larger, extended versions may have actually hindered Snyder from making the tough choices essential for creating a clear and rhythmic space opera initially.

Just like renowned filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and Oliver Stone, Zack is recognized for his director’s cuts. This was stated by his wife and producing partner, Deborah Snyder, prior to the screening at the Egyptian Theatre (now owned by Netflix). The audience, reminiscent of a devout fanbase, responded enthusiastically. Given the appearance of the crowd, it seemed like an assembly of middle-aged, predominantly male fans – similar to what you’d find at Comic-Con or those who hadn’t fallen ill with COVID in San Diego over the previous weekend.

“Deborah Snyder continued by sharing that when we initially joined Netflix, Scott Stuber posed a question: ‘Couldn’t we tackle projects that would appeal to our children and also cater to the expectations of your dedicated fans? The idea is, let’s strategize this carefully.'”

To make it clear, I didn’t attend this event as a fan. Instead, I came here as someone who enjoys enduring lengthy and challenging films, which might be more accurately described as a “movie masochist.” This term implies that while I derive pleasure from it, “pride” might be a better word to describe my feeling of accomplishment upon completing such movies.

Snyder has satisfied me only twice as a director: His terrifying, character-driven 2004 take on “Dawn of the Dead” played a pivotal role in the 21st-century zombie revival (I doubt we would have gotten “The Walking Dead” without it), and there’s no denying how visionary his grungy Physique Pictorial adaptation of Frank Miller’s “300” felt at the time. It made a beefcake action star of Gerard Butler, while demonstrating the expressionistic possibilities of CGI when so many directors were striving for realism.

Initially, Snyder perceived himself as an innovator in his profession, but it turned out that he was more of a remixer, borrowing ideas from others’ intellectual property. Following “Sucker Punch,” viewing Snyder’s work became tiresome for many. This led me to invite a friend and travel to Pacific Palisades seven months ago to watch “Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire.” The movie was being screened at The Bay, one of the few Los Angeles venues, where we had the entire theater to ourselves.

It’s accurate to say that when Netflix debuted the initial installment of Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon,” it seemed as though few people attended. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that hardcore fans were simply holding out for the unrated director’s cut version.

As a cinephile, I’ve discovered that The Bay, located about a half-hour drive from Netflix Headquarters, is a prestigious art-house theater. This venue serves as the platform for Netflix to present its Academy Award-eligible films through “theatrical runs.” You see, Netflix’s content can’t be considered for Oscars if it’s released directly on streaming platforms. However, executives like Scott Stuber and his team seem less inclined to have their productions viewed on the big screen, so they create obstacles that make it challenging to watch them there.

You can’t save a copy of “Rebel Moon” in any home video format, so if you want to experience the director’s version, you must watch it on Netflix. Alternatively, you had to be present during our Saturday night screening, where the audience’s excitement was intense enough to resemble the build-up for a new “Star Wars” installment. In essence, instead of a live-action “Heavy Metal,” Snyder appears to have aimed at creating a space opera with this collection of parts, which is quite evident. The director seems overly self-important, omitting the humor and lightness that could make six hours of space destruction more tolerable for viewers.

Zack and Deborah Snyder have been speaking to the media, stating that these films are “essentially four distinct productions.” However, this statement can be seen as deceptive in principle and confusing in reality. For instance, last year’s “ultimate cut” of the film “Caligula” is a different movie from the disaster that Bob Guccione released in 1980. The reason being, not a single frame was reused from the earlier X-rated version; instead, alternative or slightly less dramatic takes were used to restore “Caligula” to the original vision of its screenwriter, Gore Vidal.

The updated version of “Rebel Moon” includes additional graphic scenes previously deemed too intense for a PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association. Essentially, it’s the same film with more explicit content. The scene reminiscent of “Caligula” that comes to mind is the extended 20-minute sequence in the newly unrated, slightly rebranded “Rebel Moon – Part One: Chalice of Blood”. Instead of starting on the rebel moon of Veldt, director Zack Snyder initiates with space-Nazi Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein), who serves as a deviant messenger for the Motherland, landing on a different moon altogether.

In the scorching city of Toa, reminiscent of ancient Rome, we overhear cries of oppression echoing from the background soundtrack. To leave no doubt about the invaders’ cruelty, we witness Atticus’ soldiers desecrating so-called priestesses by branding their bare chests with a hot iron. The scene unfolds as a moving shot, showing a citizen of Toa kneeling in the foreground, gun to his head, foreshadowing the gruesome spectacle this film is known for – a searing laser beam that obliterates a person’s head like a burst tomato, splattering everything, including the lens, with computer-generated red sauce.

In a PG-13 film, the MPA would prevent such actions, but for Snyder’s work, there are no restrictions regarding child protection or good taste. If you wish to engage in a drinking game while watching “Rebel Moon” director’s cuts, consider taking a sip whenever a character’s brain explodes. However, be mindful of the potential risks; emergency room visits due to alcohol poisoning might become frequent.

In the revamped Toa scene, it isn’t essential for viewers to comprehend Atticus’ villainous nature, but it does present the character of Aris (Sky Yang), who bears a resemblance to Finn (John Boyega) from “The Force Awakens,” the hesitant Stormtrooper. In the original version, Aris was a minor character, but in this adaptation, we witness Atticus compelling the young man into a heartless and redundant decision: He must choose which of his kin to eliminate (the choice is irrelevant because Atticus plans to annihilate them all). This scene precedes the second instance of a head explosion, as Aris brutally shatters his father’s skull.

In this movie, Snyder doesn’t hold back on the gruesome details. I, as a movie-goer, found myself cringing when Atticus stooped down to pick up some of the deceased man’s brain matter, using it almost mockingly towards the widow. To make matters even more disturbing, one of Atticus’ minions, resembling Darth Vader’s Red Guards, removed a tooth from the dead man and placed it into a framed picture of Princess Issa, the martyred savior who seems to fuel the Motherland’s crusade.

“Clearly, this film features a greater number of teeth, and eight hours later, Snyder chuckled about it, struggling to articulate the importance of his ‘tooth fixation’: ‘Perhaps the essence lies in the teeth… maybe?’ he mused, eventually confessing, ‘I just found it intriguing,’ which is likely the true motivation behind many of his creative decisions: They simply seemed interesting to him.”

While I must admit that the intricate details crafted by Snyder and his team for “Rebel Moon” are undeniably impressive, it’s hard not to question the significance of such inspiration when the narrative itself seems so familiar. After the extensive, adoring Q&A session (with Adam Forman, the film’s advisor on its “speculative civilization”) following the two-part screening, it’s clear that Snyder has invested a lot of intellectual effort into the mythology and lore supporting “Rebel Moon.” Yet, this dedication only served to heighten my frustration as many of these thoughtful ideas didn’t translate effectively, even with the expansive miniseries-like runtime.

In contemporary and particularly postmodern art, techniques like sampling and remixing, as seen in Quentin Tarantino’s borrowing elements from a century of B movies to create “Pulp Fiction,” or in the way rap music is produced, are prevalent. However, for this method to be effective, the final product must appear innovative and original, as if it has been crafted anew from numerous recycled components.

In simpler terms, the character Jimmy, who appears to be a copy of C-3PO but grapples with deep philosophical questions, is somewhat amusing as he ambles through fields adorned with antlers, seeking meaning. It’s challenging not to chuckle since it seems he’ll discover his purpose in time to save the day. Unlike C-3PO who was voiced humorously by Anthony Daniels, Jimmy is voiced by Anthony Hopkins, delivering lines with a stern tone that contrasts sharply with his cold, digital visage. The film features an unintentionally funny scene where Jimmy dramatically snatches a cloak from a scarecrow in slow motion.

In this film, Sofia Boutella’s character, known as Kora, or Arthelais, or “The Scargiver,” stands out among multiple protagonists. This moniker was also used for Part Two of the PG-13 rated release (the extended three-hour version is titled “The Curse of Forgiveness”). Kora is a complex character, struggling with self-doubt about her skills yet aware of her dangerous capabilities – traits that make her more captivating and relatable compared to the numerous macho men she will recruit for her quest later on.

Snyder’s male characters often seem flat and repetitive, with their roles mirroring past performances. In most instances, their attire (including the absence of clothing in Staz Nair’s case from “Game of Thrones”) is more creatively designed than their personalities.

In the film, Charlie Hunnam, portraying the character Kai who resembles Han Solo from “Kai,” appears more aloof compared to Tarak, played by Nair, who prefers to keep his abs uncovered. Hunnam adorns himself with multiple rings, chains, unusual dental jewelry, a trench coat, a scarf, and affects an unbalanced Scottish accent. However, these additions fail to conceal Kai’s conspicuous hidden truth.

Kora finds herself with two possible romantic interests, and there are extended scenes depicting intimate moments with both in the longer version. The fact that she can choose between these suitors (and even turn them down) in Veldt’s patriarchal, futuristic Amish society might appear “feminist” to Snyder. However, his portrayal of women is excessively objectifying for the label of feminism to be applicable.

In the first part of the movie, the director decided to incorporate gruesome scar tissue onto Kora’s visible torso, and he included an unexpectedly ordinary three-minute love scene between Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) in the second part. This is one of the methods used to make the film appear more intense. The love scene feels formulaic and unnecessary, interrupting the prolonged initial act of “The Curse of Forgiveness.” During this time, the people of Veldt are under pressure to gather all their grain within three days before Atticus’ ship arrives. Despite the urgency, it’s not evident from the numerous slow-motion farming scenes, which feature a blend of Terrence Malick’s style and the silent film techniques of Ukrainian director Aleksandr Dovzhenko, particularly his work “Earth.”

As a film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen countless directors try to reinvent the wheel, but few have left me as divided as Zack Snyder. His approach to directing films is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered – it’s like watching a machine churn out movies. He takes in centuries worth of creative works and spits out something that vaguely resembles originality without ever truly assimilating the essence of what he consumes.

Essentially, “Star Wars” and “Rebel Moon” share similar underlying ideas. However, while “A New Hope” was a captivating reinterpretation of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, as seen in works like “John Carter of Mars,” Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” and Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress,” which ignited a devoted fanbase, “Rebel Moon” appears more like an extravagant imitation of these preceding works. The thought that Snyder has multiple more installments (perhaps even an animated series as well) in the pipeline suggests it could transform even his most dedicated followers into unwitting cinema endurers.

2024-08-05 21:21

I Survived a Marathon of Zack Snyder’s Unrated ‘Rebel Moon’ — But Still Can’t Tell You Why It Exists

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