Film Review – REBEL MOON – PART TWO: THE SCARGIVER (2024): A Movie Devoid of Storyline and Character Depth that Relies Completely on Pretty Visuals to Exist

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver Review

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver (2024) Film Review, directed by Zack Snyder, written by Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, and Shay Hatten, and starring Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Elise Duffy, Ed Skrein, and Michiel Huisman.

If you are a museum enthusiast, science fiction tourist, or a person otherwise in need of repetitive explosions and drool-inducing images, then please, be my guest, and switch on Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver. Courtesy of director Zack Snyder, the movie is a two-hour compilation of visual and technological flexing of a multimillion-dollar budget. It is not my style to reference budgets in my reviews, but these resources underscore the absolute negligence on behalf of writers Shay Hatten, Kurt Johnstad, and again Zack Snyder to produce a worthy story. Glaringly, there is nothing here to accompany the battlefield gimmicks.

As such, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver creates an unnecessary debate between the import of visual “vs.” narrative elements in a film. Snyder forces these quotation marks, divorcing the two facets by giving the audience an onslaught of laser beamy, screamy battle scenes after about an hour of filler exposition. Yes, the contrast between techy warriors and their bucolic setting catches the eye for a moment or two. Indeed, the shots towards the sky with the pretty moons dazzle for a bit. Admittedly, the fit bodies wielding flashy weapons remind the audience to go to the gym (to shake off this movie). Yet, despite all the impressions on the eyeballs, minds which endure this film will not be stimulated. I may be so bold as to suggest that good cinematography is there to support a strong narrative with at least a robust protagonist. If such is the case, then The Scargiver is much like the grain-growing villagers of Veldt, serving a mono diet of visual stimuli.

There were many missed opportunities for Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver to exploit its dramatic elements in the interest of compensating for lack of dynamic plot and characterization. For example, in the scene where Kora (Sofia Boutella) is supposed to assassinate Princess Issa (Stella Grace Fitzgerald), there is a random set of violin players onstage while all the fighting and shooting is going on. Bags are over the players’ faces with the kingdom’s insignia painted on them. No one pays them any mind as the insurgents are busy carrying on with the betrayal. It becomes evident that they are there simply for artsy, dramatic effect. However, such an aesthetic element is never repeated in the film, making it ridiculous that the king had prepared live music for his own betrayal. To continue, it was apparent that Snyder tried balancing out the endless battle scenes with cheesy dialogue about dying together for a noble cause. While the intention is good, genuine introspection and truly moving emotional displays would have been in order.

Of these missed opportunities, what is most bothersome is the film’s lack of dedication or loyalty to the genre. It would be expected that a science fiction/space opera would indulge in well-acted melodrama with a gripping sense of characterization throughout. Unfortunately, the only romanticization in the film is forced dialogue that idealizes warfare. Moreover, the scenes with Kora and her love interest, Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), lack chemistry. Perhaps this is because the majority of their intimate relationship occurs in post-coital small talk that pretends to be deeply introspective and confessional. Again, a space opera would have demanded a more epic love story between the two which would have made their tragic ending more meaningful. It appears that the only glorious moments suited for the genre occur in the flashback scenes. Nevertheless, these glimpses into the past offer the audience nothing but filler. It is apparent that their potential would have been better utilized elsewhere. I wholeheartedly do not recommend this film to anybody with any appreciation for good storytelling.

Rating: 2/10

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