Film Review: Rebel Moon: Chapter Two - Curse of Forgiveness (2024)
Ever since the first appearance of Star Wars on the silver screen in 1977, the galaxy far, far away has served as a template for countless filmmakers attempting to replicate its blend of myth, spectacle, and adventure. While many of these efforts, especially those in the early years, have been derivative, and some have been infamous for their creative bankruptcy, one of the more fascinating attempts to assert a distinct identity within the genre came much more recently. In 2023, Zack Snyder delivered the first instalment of his two-part epic, Rebel Moon, and in 2024, Rebel Moon: Part Two – Scargiver followed. Both films exist in two versions: the standard theatrical cut and the Director’s Cut, the latter utilising an R-rating uncharacteristic for the genre. Consequently, the Director’s Cut version of the second part, known by the subtitle Chapter Two: Curse of Forgiveness, delivers an experience defined by nudity, explicit sex, graphic violence, and gore, catering to an adult audience that the genre rarely serves.
Released roughly four months after the first part, Curse of Forgiveness picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of the previous film. Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former soldier of the oppressive Imperium, now leads a disparate group of warriors to the moon world of Vedlt to protect the local farmers from Imperial forces. This ensemble includes former general Titus (Djimon Honsou), the female cyborg swordsman Nemesis (Doona Bae), former prince and animal-bonding expert Tarak (Staz Nair), and rebel fighter Millius (Elise Duffy). Kora believes that Vedlt is safe, at least partially because she has apparently killed Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), the commander of the formidable dreadnought King’s Gaze. However, the narrative takes a turn when Noble is resurrected, and he orders the dreadnought to head to Veldt. Aris (Sky Yang), a former soldier who defected to the farmers' side, warns the village elders that they have only five days to prepare for the inevitable assault.
As the dreadnought approaches, the villagers make the tactical decision to harvest all their grain and store it within the village itself, a desperate bid to protect use their lifeblood – sought by Imperium - as the shield. Titus reconnoitres the terrain and devises a defence plan based on underground tunnels and ambushes. Before the actual battle commences, Kora and her group, having taken part in the harvest, share their pasts with one another. However, Kora deliberately avoids telling anyone that she is actually Arthelais, a former Imperium officer who assassinated the beloved Princess Issa (Stella Grace Fitzgerlad) and allowed the tyrannical Belisarius (Fra Fee) to become regent. This omission adds a layer of dramatic irony to the proceedings, forcing the audience to piece together the protagonist's guilt alongside the characters she is deceiving.
When King’s Gaze finally arrives in orbit, Noble lands directly in the village. To the surprise of everyone present, Kora offers herself up to be captured in exchange for the Imperium sparing the lives of the villagers. Before Noble can fully contemplate this unprecedented offer, the village elder and Kora’s lover, Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), forces the issue by opening fire on the Imperial soldiers. What follows is an immensely spectacular, brutal, and bloody battle. The farmers and Kora’s men put up a strong resistance, but the sheer numbers and firepower of the Imperium eventually begin to tell. Nemesis dies while protecting children from being captured. After the defeat seems likely, Kora devises a daring plan to take the offensive to the enemy. With Gunnar’s help, she commandeers a dropship pretending to belong to the Imperium, boards the King’s Gaze, and attempts to destroy the ship by placing explosive charges throughout its hull.
The script for Rebel Moon is, in essence, a combination of the 1977 original incarnation of Star Wars and Kurosawa’s legendary epic Seven Samurai. This is made even more obvious in the second part, when the village defence battle in many of its details actually resembles the skirmishes in the Kurosawa film, and Kora and Gunnar’s daring raid on the King’s Gaze bears a striking resemblance to Luke Skywalker’s exploits on the Death Star. Snyder, co-writing with Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten, clearly loves these source materials and seeks to remix them for a modern audience.
Yet, despite these similarities, Chapter Two is, like the first film, undeniably a Zack Snyder film. This is reflected in the common use of slow motion, allowing the audience to savour a great level of detail, especially in the battle scenes. While this technique often adds gravitas, sometimes it goes into overindulgent showboating, sometimes it makes the pacing slightly slow. Nevertheless, it allows the audience to learn a little bit more about the characters and their world, particularly in the flashback scenes. One of the most interesting sequences is the assassination scene, which looks like a melodramatic reconstruction of the killing of Julius Caesar and serves a nod to Snyder's penchant for pop-culture recontextualisation. However, there are certain holes in plot and characterisation, especially in the character of the robot "Jimmy" (voiced by Anthony Hopkins). Like in the first film, Jimmy saves the day by uncharacteristically taking side in combat, raising questions about his programming and loyalty that the film never fully resolves.
The music by Tom Holkenborg also seems a little bit too generic. While competent, the score makes the audience yearn for someone with John Williams’ talent and his specific stylistical approaches. In a genre defined by soaring orchestral themes, Holkenborg’s electronic-heavy score feels more like a video game soundtrack than a monumental space opera.
On the other hand, Snyder is, at least in the Director’s Cut version, adamant to bring audiences something they couldn't have seen in George Lucas’ work. Like the first film, the second also features rather steamy sex scene, although it is absorbed relatively early on, allowing the plot to unfold without too much distraction. The violence is very visceral and brutal; the outcome of the battle is uncertain, and many characters for whom the audience has been given sympathy get killed or their survival is rather uncertain. There are no safe havens here, and the gore serves as a stark reminder of the stakes.
When the film ends with the protagonists winning, the sense of triumph is slightly tempered by feelings of profound loss. The film ends in something of a minor cliffhanger, with a twist that gives a new purpose and new mission to Kora, which was supposed to be explored in consequent sequels. Sadly, in 2025, Snyder stated that no such sequels will be produced in the near future.
The theatrical version of the second part was brutally savaged by critics, but, like in the first film, it was a completely different story with the Director’s Cut. The expanded R-version certainly deserves recommendation by delivering, despite some flaws, a very original and bold take on a story that is nearly half a century old. Snyder has successfully carved out his own corner of the galaxy, even if his megalomania occasionally threatens to collapse the film under its own weight.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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