One Rebel Moon Scene Evokes A Very Famous Zack Snyder Movie Moment
This article contains spoilers for "Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire."
Where do you fall on the great "Rebel Moon" debate? Believe it or not, director Zack Snyder might've just released another divisive entry into his oeuvre and, now that critics have had their say (you can find my review for /Film here), it's time for viewers to see what works or not for themselves. But as much as the central discussion around the movie thus far has focused on the story's plethora of influences, from "Star Wars" to "Dune" to "Seven Samurai" and many more, perhaps the best scene in the film seems to take inspiration from a very different source altogether. In fact, this sequence in "Rebel Moon" sure feels like an intentional echo of one of Snyder's most celebrated moments from his own filmography.
Filmmakers can certainly do far worse than attempt to recapture the same lightning in a bottle that worked for them previously. For Snyder, diehard fans may point to his almost one-to-one recreation of comic book panels brought to life in "Watchmen" or any of the painstakingly-composed moments from "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Zack Snyder's Justice League" as the best of the bunch. But more than any other, the "First flight" sequence in "Man of Steel" continues to be held up as a prime example of what the visually adept director can accomplish when everything lines up just right.
That's the moment that immediately came to mind when "Rebel Moon" heroes Kora (Sofia Boutella), Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), and Kai (Charlie Hunnam) arrive on the planet of Neu-Wodi. Seeking warriors to recruit against the might of the Imperium, they set their sights on indentured servant Tarak (Staz Nair). The only catch? He must win his freedom by taming a wild, flying beast.
High-flying action
Quick, what does Superman and a griffin-like beast known as a "bennu" have in common? If you answered "Nothing at all," you'd be right ... and also wrong.
In a scene that will likely inspire comparisons to James Cameron's "Avatar," Tarak confidently approaches the bennu that's struggling against its captors' chains. The two quickly bond over their shared enslavement and desire for freedom, though in a nearly wordless way that suggests Tarak has some implicit ability to tame animals. In any case, his calmness settles the creature down and allows him the chance to hop on its back and take to the skies. And with one magnificent flourish, Junkie XL's percussive score kicks in and everything from the framing to the celebratory tone to the awe-inspiring visuals ties together with Superman's noticeably similar moment in the spotlight when he learns to fly in "Man of Steel."
In both movies, these respective sequences mark a rare moment where the rapid-fire pacing finally slows down and allows viewers to soak in the spectacle. Although Tarak doesn't really get much more time to shine in the rest of the story, unlike Henry Cavill's Kal-El appearing in practically every scene in "Man of Steel," this extended flight at least gives audiences something to hold onto for next time. Even apart from their eerily similar-looking locations, both sequences showcase character through action and introduce an entirely new visual language to the film. And most importantly of all, the two depict heroes actually enjoying themselves as they perform impossible feats.
"Rebel Moon" and "Man of Steel" both have their unique strengths and weaknesses, but no two sequences in Snyder's career better show us his purest, most unadulterated, and almost childlike sensibilities in action.
"Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire" is currently streaming on Netflix.