Netflix 'Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver': Zack Snyder on 'outrageous' critical response to films
"There really is this kind of visceral response to my work," Snyder said
Famed filmmaker Zack Snyder may be the most polarizing person in Hollywood, with a legion of staunch supporters and equally as many harsh critics. That has certainly been the case with the Rebel Moon films, as Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver hits Netflix.
"There really is this kind of visceral response to my work and I don't know why, I honestly don't, but I have gotten to the point with it where I definitely have a kind of healthy relationship to how the movies are seen," Snyder told Yahoo Canada. "It's so outrageous a lot of the time, even just the critical response of the movie, it's always over the top, I always feel like."
"I always said about the movie, the first film, it's a pretty straightforward film, ... but it's incredible how passionate everyone is about either liking it or not liking it. ... That part's really kind of incredible to watch. ... I feel like after movie one, it was early days to kind of put such a hard flag in the ground about how you feel, because there's all these other things happening. But I think it's fun and it kind of is what it is. There's not a lot to do about it, other than we just keep pouring ourselves into everything. So for the fans that love Rebel Moon, there's plenty to dig into here."
What is 'Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver' about?
Love it or hate it, the Rebel Moon story continues with more action in the second film.
Kora (Sofia Boutella) believed that Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) is dead, but that's not the case. Kora returns to Veldt with Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), Tarak (Staz Nair), Milius (Elise Duffy) and Nemesis (Bae Doona), and the local villagers are trained to fight for their survival. They have five days until the Motherworld soldiers arrive.
A significant part of the film is learning about Kora's backstory, and the circumstances under which she left Balisarius (Fra Fee), following the assassination of Princess Issa (Stella Grace Fitzgerald).
"[Zack Snyder] gave us the opportunity to explore really complicated, deep emotions that are relatable, ... the dilemma and overcoming certain obstacles is very relatable," Sofia Boutella said. "I had a lot of fun sort of exploring such a turbulent and complicated past, and sort of finding those windows of opportunity to have a chance for a better life, and a chance for joy and happiness."
Exploring who all the characters were before they assembled is a core element of Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver.
"The backstories are so great, because amidst all the sets and the explosions ... we have a purpose and a place to remember where we're coming from," Elise Duffy said.
"It's a great opportunity to always have something to inform why you are, where you are, or how you're going to respond," Staz Nair added. "Also, I think an opportunity to subvert where they were then, to where they are now."
Zack Snyder director's cuts for 'Rebel Moon' films
It's been the case for most of Snyder's projects that many will wait for the director's cut or "Snyder Cut," and that's the case for the Rebel Moon films as well, expected to be released later this year.
Actor Atticus Noble teased that the extended cuts for Rebel Moon movies will have even more to look at in this battle of good versus evil.
"When we ... talked about actually the whole process of creating the films, I always built into the sort of concept the director's cuts, that I knew would be really sort of a version of the movie that I could make completely on my own, ... without the limitations, ... I mean it's R rated so there are limits, I guess, but I've definitely pushed those as well," Snyder said.
"The more broad audience version of the movie, which is the normal thing you face when you make a film, you're making the film with the audience in mind, and sort of commerce and the limitations of screens, screenings, ... but having the director's cuts just sort of exist as these pieces of insanity that don't really require any compromise. They're really completely what I wrote originally."
The filmmaker did reveal that knowing he was working on a director's cut of each film, expected to have a combined runtime of about six hours, impacted his approach to the current versions of the Rebel Moon films.
"Because I know I have that, I'm probably more willing to make the movie shorter, or take scenes out and things like that, to kind of get to what the studio, or what Netflix, would really love for the audience," Snyder said. "As far as length and content, as far as whether it's too aggressive in areas, I'm happy to do all that because I know I have this crazy version over here."
"Also, for me, the first movies are like a little bite of the two movies."
