Even in the director’s cut, Rebel Moon causes many critics to shake their heads.
One thing you have to give director Zack Snyder credit for: The man doesn’t give up. His space saga Rebel Moon was heavily touted before its release as Netflix’s potential Star Wars killer, a new franchise that wipes the floor with Jedi and Sith. When Rebel Moon – Part 1: Child of Fire was released in late 2023, it mostly wiped the bottom of the international ratings scales.
On Rotten Tomatoes the film bubbles with a meager 22 percent positive press reviewsthe fans are only slightly more forgiving at 56 percent. Our film expert Vali also has little praise for it.
Part 2: The scar maker performed even worse in April 2024 (17 and 48 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively). Many directors would throw in the towel and shoot the next season of She-Hulk as punishment, but not Zack Snyder. He now wants to repeat the big stunt he once pulled off with Justice League: convince people of his work with a gigantic director’s cut.
The recently released director’s cuts of Rebel Moon 1 and 2 have a combined running time of seven and a half hours. And the international reviews are… not so enthusiastic.
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2:28 Rebel Moon: The trailer for Zack Snyder’s Director’s Cut is as bloody as 300
What do the press and critics say about Rebel Moon: Director’s Cut?
First of all: There are also positive comments about the Director’s Cut, especially among regular viewers. The Director’s Cut of Rebel Moon 1 seven has 65 percent positive audience reviews. User Luis v writes, for example:
I don’t understand what the press expects from a Snyder film. The first version was unnecessary? Absolutely. The director’s cut is even worse? No. Zack is creating his own version of a universe and in the director’s cut it is no longer a mix of other films, but something original.
Luis v on Rotten Tomatoes
The situation is similar with the director’s cut of Rebel Moon 2. There are also positive reviews among fans. The press is much more negative. Part one stands at 29 percent positive reviews, Part two at least at 40 percent.
The first version was a disaster, the second is even worse, writes Toisto.net, for example.
Somehow the films are even worse now, judges the Collider:
While the dramatically longer running time allows for more gory effects, the fundamental problems remain painfully apparent. These films are so fundamentally unimaginative and clumsy that you can’t help but feel like you’re watching a huge fan film that’s now two and a half hours longer. And not only that: all the extra details, like a new lame supporting character or expanded lame worldbuilding, only serve to drag the whole thing down even further.
Chase Hutchinson, Collider
This core criticism is found in most negative voices: more is not automatically better. In the case of Justice League, the late extension actually came at a good time because the original film seemed far too packed. In the case of Rebel Moon, it is different: the first version was already lame and worn out, and more running time doesn’t help either.
Of course, you can form your own opinion on Netflix and tell us what you think in the comments. Do you also see Rebel Moon as a crash landing? Or do you find it to be fun popcorn entertainment that could actually be the foundation for a larger sci-fi universe? Let us know.
