Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (Zack Snyder, Dec. 22 on Netflix)

[Nerys Myk]

Deadpool And Wolverine hardly has a story. At the core are other things, like humor, characters, action. It was absolutely super entertaining.

Now, granted.... The characters are not a highlight in the PG13 version of Rebel Moon, and I still need to see the R-rated version. I enjoyed the PG-13 versions for what they are; entertaining popcorn flicks with big action. Like a lot of the 80's and 90's movies we gush about. You know, the ones with crappy stories and stupid characters.

ETA: I always find it very odd that people will go out of their way to convince people to stop liking something they liked, because they don't like it themselves.

I loved D&W for all the things you mentioned. The story, as thin as it is, is still better than Rebel Moon. D&W is propelled by the strong performances of Reynolds and Jackman.The supporting cast also does a fine job. Rebel Moon doesn’t have that.

This place would be pretty boring if we didn’t offer counter opinions. I don’t expect to change minds, but I will explain why I feel the way I do about what’s being discussed.

 

[theenglish]

I enjoyed them. My only issue is the new opening which doesn’t really serve any purpose than to show how much of a dick the admiral is. Something I feel they show enough of already.
Plus I feel it takes away from his original introduction where you don’t know how much of a cruel man he is.

Originally, I had assumed that Aris would be a main protagonist and that the introductory scene was setting up a show down with Admiral Nobel--but I'm an hour from the end and that hasn't happened yet.

Also, in terms of the Seven Samurai, we have the same pieces in this movie including: the farming village and the desire for the harvest, the archetypal characters in the samurai/warriors, setting up the "village" to prepare for the attack, and things like that. What it doesn't do is have the same character dynamics nor does it deal with the building of the relationship between the villagers and the warriors. I think the extended harvesting scene could have been dedicated to a bit of character building.

 

[Mage]

I loved D&W for all the things you mentioned. The story, as thin as it is, is still better than Rebel Moon. D&W is propelled by the strong performances of Reynolds and Jackman.The supporting cast also does a fine job. Rebel Moon doesn’t have that.

This place would be pretty boring if we didn’t offer counter opinions. I don’t expect to change minds, but I will explain why I feel the way I do about what’s being discussed.

There's a difference between counteropinion and saying something is bad and questioning why people enjoy something. Sometimes you just let people enjoy what they enjoy.

 

[Nerys Myk]

There's a difference between counteropinion and saying something is bad and questioning why people enjoy something. Sometimes you just let people enjoy what they enjoy.

Did I do that?

 

[Mage]

Did I do that?

From where I was sitting, as someone observing from the outside.... Yes.
If others feel I was wrong, I will be the first to enter that conversation and also ask 'what was your point of view?'.
But yeah, it looked to me someone was simply saying 'I enjoyed it' and you commenting 'you shouldn't because it sucks'.

 

[Nerys Myk]

From where I was sitting, as someone observing from the outside.... Yes.
If others feel I was wrong, I will be the first to enter that conversation and also ask 'what was your point of view?'.
But yeah, it looked to me someone was simply saying 'I enjoyed it' and you commenting 'you shouldn't because it sucks'.

My point of view was the films were poorly written and acted. I think that’s what I expressed. Did I tell someone not to enjoy it?

 

[Mage]

My point of view was the films were poorly written and acted. I think that’s what I expressed. Did I tell someone not to enjoy it?

Look, you expressed yourself. So have I. Right now there is nothing more to be gained from this than a badminton-like volley of back and forth. It's almost 11PM here in the Netherlands and I'm knackered.
If you need to take a victory from this and feel better, go for it. If we're both in agreement that nothing can be gained from this and we part this conversation like adults, even better!
From where I'm sitting, this is my final say in the matter and I bid you a pleasant evening.

 

[theenglish]

I finished the second installment. Mild spoilers ahead.

Thribs is correct in that Aris never has the moment to face Noble, making the opening scene of the movie kind of pointless because Aris heritage as royalty is never addressed again and we see pretty quickly how evil Noble is in later scenes.
Clearly a set up for future movies. The engine system and the harnessing of cosmic powers by the mother world is one of the most intriguing concepts in the movie.
I was a little disappointed that the most interesting warrior was the one who got sacrificed in the final battle.
In the end, most of the characters have a clear story arc.
The visuals are incredibly striking; however, I am going to be looking closely at the PG13 if I ever do get around to them because the final hour and a half of this movie is bodies being mutilated in horrific ways during the battle. I can't imagine how these scenes were edited out in the other movies.

In the end, an intriguing but flawed movie. It is nowhere near as bad as some posters on this board claim, but neither is it high art. Both Army of the Dead and Justice League are better written and executed. However, in many ways this movie reminds me of a James Cameron film--a lot of spectacle, with some cringe dialogue and cliched story moments. In terms of story and character, for example, the Avatar movies are not much better than this.

 

[Mage]

Got about two hours into Part One. Some of the gore is just too much. It's not there for any other reason than to go 'look at us being daring and cool'. A few elements are giving us some more depth to the characters, but not by much. I am curious as to where they're going with Jimmy, because the PG13 Part One definitely gave the idea there was more being done with the character than we saw in the original versions.

However.... It drags on. It's too long. I got bored, paused the movie twice to do some other tidbits. I'll finish it at some point, and watch the second part at some point as well.

 

[Skipper]

However.... It drags on. It's too long. I got bored, paused the movie twice to do some other tidbits. I'll finish it at some point, and watch the second part at some point as well.

So the worst sin a film can commit: being boring.

I hadn't seen the first version because I was waiting for DC, but you people have killed my enthusiasm. Watching a movie should be fun, not a task to be completed at all costs (unless you're a professional film critic, sometimes I don't envy them...)

 

[Mage]

So the worst sin a film can commit: being boring.

I hadn't seen the first version because I was waiting for DC, but you people have killed my enthusiasm. Watching a movie should be fun, not a task to be completed at all costs (unless you're a professional film critic, sometimes I don't envy them...)

I wouldn't say boring to the core. But it's now too long. There's too much filler.
Honestly, there was no need for the sex scene.
There will be plenty of men who will now say 'but boobies'. Sure, fine, of course. She's a beautiful woman. You want to see sex on your screen? There are websites for that.

However, while typing this.... The scene was gratuitous. The original made it quite clear they got together. There were, however, a few subtle moments where Kora is still holding back, her wanting to give in to intimacy and belonging.
That could however, be done in more subtle ways. Again, as with some of the over the top violence, it was the GoT way of story telling; nudity and gore without reason.

 

[thribs]

I wouldn’t say it’s boring. It’s not Oppenheimer.

 

[thribs]

Honestly, there was no need for the sex scene.
There will be plenty of men who will now say 'but boobies'. Sure, fine, of course. She's a beautiful woman. You want to see sex on your screen? There are websites for that.

The sex scene was fine but even I think the one in the second part was too much. It also went on forever.

 

[Skipper]

Honestly, there was no need for the sex scene.
There will be plenty of men who will now say 'but boobies'. Sure, fine, of course. She's a beautiful woman. You want to see sex on your screen? There are websites for that.

Honestly, I think Hollywood (and Americans in general) don't know how to make believable sex scenes. They always seem written and directed by a hormonally explosive 13-year-old who just discovered "boooobies." Or sad and forced. Or borderline consensual. I don't know if it's their puritanical origins or because they're more comfortable depicting violence than some healthy, normal intimacy between two people, but it's a criticism I've seen made by quite a few European film critics.

 

[Mage]

Honestly, I think Hollywood (and Americans in general) don't know how to make believable sex scenes. They always seem written and directed by a hormonally explosive 13-year-old who just discovered "boooobies." Or sad and forced. Or borderline consensual. I don't know if it's their puritanical origins or because they're more comfortable depicting violence than some healthy, normal intimacy between two people, but it's a criticism I've seen made by quite a few European film critics.

Oh for sure. I mean, I'm Dutch and we're quite easy with stuff like that. So again, I really am ok with the nudity in on itself. But I just feel it should serve the story being told.

 

[Skipper]

Oh for sure. I mean, I'm Dutch and we're quite easy with stuff like that. So again, I really am ok with the nudity in on itself. But I just feel it should serve the story being told.

I need to find the url but I saw this article by a French critic who said he always felt vaguely uncomfortable when he saw a sex scene in an American film. It always seemed forced and joyless to him. And of course (I know it sounds like a cliché being French) he was perfectly okay with the concept of nudity and sex in a film.

 

[Mage]

I need to find the url but I saw this article by a French critic who said he always felt vaguely uncomfortable when he saw a sex scene in an American film. It always seemed forced and joyless to him. And of course (I know it sounds like a cliché being French) he was perfectly okay with the concept of nudity and sex in a film.

Yup, that makes sense.