Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sci-fi fantasy has graphic violence, peril, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire
What's the Story?
After an insurrection leaves the benevolent royal family of the Motherworld dead, no corner of the universe is safe in REBEL MOON: PART ONE – A CHILD OF FIRE. That includes the residents of the peaceful farming village of Veldt, where Kora (Sofia Boutella) hides her warrior past. When the cruel commander Noble (Ed Skrein) and a fleet of soldiers land in Veldt and make impossible demands, Kora opts to run -- again -- rather than stay and fight. A single incident forces her to change her mind, so she and fellow villager Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) set off across planets to round up a band of rebels to try to save Veldt. They include gun-for-hire Kai (Charlie Hunnam), General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), swordswoman Nemesis (Doona Bae), Prince Tarak (Staz Nair), and resistance fighters Darrius Bloodaxe (Ray Fisher) and Milius (E. Duffy).
Is It Any Good?
The first of two planned entries in a new franchise for Netflix makes for an accomplished visual spectacle, but the characters and scenarios are more predictable than likely intended. Much about Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire feels pulled directly out of the Star Wars universe. Technical innovations have improved the way new worlds can be brought to life in sci-fi and fantasy forays, and Rebel Moon packs some impressive sequences, costuming, effects, and general visual experiences. The problem comes more from the feeling that for all its technical prowess, the story lacks soul. You've seen it all before. Of course, the reality of franchise-driven Hollywood is that many audiences desire familiarity and predictability.
Rather than the more mythical journeys of its obvious inspirations, like the Skywalkers or Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Rebel Moon pulls its otherworldly characters down to our level and motivates them by basic human interests like childhood traumas, absentee families, and sexual desire. This certainly makes them easy to understand, but it also feels a little humdrum and less epic than the invented worlds and mega-production suggest. There's something very outdated as well in video game-inspired fight scenes and especially the macho posturing of soldiers, including attempted sexual aggressions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire sets up a cast of characters and a story that can be carried on into future films. What do you expect to happen next in this story?
What aspects of Veldt and other locations felt like Earth, and which didn't? What technical handiwork goes into creating new worlds and planets, like in Rebel Moon?
Did the film remind you of others you've seen? Which, and how so?
How would you describe main character Kora's motivations? What about the other warriors she picks up along the way? Why do they all agree to help defend the village of Veldt?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 21, 2023
- Cast : Sofia Boutella , Michiel Huisman , Ed Skrein
- Director : Zack Snyder
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : STEM , Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Run time : 135 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sequences of strong violence, sexual assault, bloody images, language, sexual material and partial nudity
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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