Even at 23 minutes shorter, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver manages to be just as exhausting as Part One: A Child of Fire. Perhaps it’s from the copious amounts of slow-mo, a bona fide trademark amongst Snyder’s films. Perhaps it’s because, for the first hour, nothing really happens besides needless character exposition. At least The Scargiver feels slightly less derivative, less poorly assembled than A Child of Fire, and tells a simple story of rebellion. Yes, this very much still feels like Snyder’s misguided homage to Star Wars in all its sci-fi trappings, but this outing is more competently made and easy to follow – with a few notable exceptions.

We follow our hero Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her merry band of outlaws as they seek to defeat the evil empire, led by Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein). The first half of The Scargiver sees the rebels as they prepare for the imminent attack on their humble farming planet. The extended time gives an opportunity for each of the characters to lay out their backstories – sorely missing from the previous film – and their various grudges against the Mother World.

Written by Snyder, Shay Hatten, and Kurt Johnstad, the film is barely interested in making any of the protagonists feel unique or memorable, but a modicum of character detail is better than none at all, I suppose. There’s something about Kora’s quest for redemption as she explains her life on the run, but the film essentially forgets these tidbits until the very end. Indeed, it feels like there are interesting parts cut out of The Scargiver that will eventually make it into the inevitable director’s cut, like the backstory to the C-3PO rip-off Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), who pops up at random intervals. None of the character stuff really matters once the action-packed second half begins, which is a relief because it’s so poorly done, but kind of feels like a waste of time at the end of the day.

As I’ve said before, Snyder’s greatest strength is his ability to craft arresting imagery, and it remains on display in The Scargiver. As before, Snyder also serves as the cinematographer, and though the obnoxious Portrait Mode-esque depth of field is still present, it’s utilized less frequently. Visual effects are another highlight, though it’s hard to tell if it’s because I did not see the film in a theater where the seams are more visible. Action scenes aren’t exactly dull, with solid enough choreography, but rely a great deal on wire work and CGI over practical combat.

Having now seen both parts of Snyder’s Rebel Moon films, it’s hard to say if his grand experiment really works. As an original sci-fi property, it’s a disaster, never not reminding you of better sci-fi and war films. There is likely a version of the two films, mashed together with the fat trimmed out, that functions better, but we can only work with what we have. I don’t think you need to have A Child of Fire fresh in your mind in order to understand or find enjoyment in The Scargiver. In fact, if The Scargiver was the only piece to this puzzle, perhaps I’d have less disdain for the franchise overall.

Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver is available on Netflix now.

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