The first part of Rebel Moon, Zack Snynder's sci-fi epic, didn't just have to tell a story: it also had to set up the world, which inevitably meant that some of it was a little slow and ponderous. Part two has no such responsibilities, and as a result it can be a full-on all-action epic – and going by the new trailer that Netflix has just dropped, that's exactly what it looks like it'll be.
As Tom Power reported a few days ago after speaking to the cast and to Snyder himself, Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Scargiver will be a "war-driven" epic where "it's all going to kick off". According to the hype, it's everything you liked about the first film made bigger, better and louder.
What to expect from Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver
In the second Rebel Moon film Kora (Sofia Boutella) has to defend the moon of Veldt against the massed forces of the Motherworld in an epic battle, one which reveals the true characters (and it seems quite a lot of backstory too) of the various warriors. As Netflix puts it, "As the full force of the Realm bears down on the burgeoning rebellion, unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge, and legends are made."
Staz Nair, who plays Tarak, told us that "Part 2 is very action-driven and war-driven... We get into some heavy emotional stuff that hits home, and explore some dark and dramatic things within this setting. It's not something I expected, but that's why it's a space opera and not just a sci-fi movie."
It's pretty clear that if you loved Rebel Moon you're going to love this, and if you're one of the people giving it a really low rating online – it's currently sitting at 24% from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes – then you're probably not going to rush to see the second part. But given that most of the criticism was over story beats and sci-fi tropes, Part Two's stronger emphasis on action might turn out to be an unexpected treat for those who felt the first part was a little disappointing. And if not, there's always the R-rated version that Snyder plans to release later.
Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver will stream on Netflix from 19 April 2024.
