Skip to content
MovieCove
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire

There are no heroes. Only rebels.

2023133 minPG-13Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Director
Zack Snyder
Starring
Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman

When the ruthless forces of the Motherworld threaten a quiet farming village on a distant moon, a mysterious outsider becomes its best hope for survival.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire?

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire earns 5 badges, led by Star-studded and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire worth watching?

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire's Midcredits score is the 27th percentile of all films, from 358K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

27th percentile

Better received than 27% of films

42nd percentile among Action28th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)21st
Approval (how many liked it)35th

52 /100

21st percentile of all films

34th percentile among Action24th percentile among 2020s

Critics 31 · Audience 54

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

49th percentile among Action37th percentile among 2020s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 22% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 3 noms overall

84th percentile

357K ratings across platforms

74th percentile among Action85th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$90M

What reviewers say

Common ground

Fans and detractors agree that Rebel Moon is a visually impressive yet derivative and imperfect film, with the director's cut being a notable improvement.

Fans praised

  • Director's cut adds needed depth
  • Visually stunning with gorgeous audio and musical design
  • Better storytelling and character evolution in director's cut

Detractors panned

  • Plot is shallow and predictable, derivative of Star Wars and other classics
  • Feels like a patchwork, lacks authentic world-building and originality
  • Fails to connect emotionally; characters are one-dimensional

What stands out

CharactersDivisive35

Underwritten, no depth in theatrical cut; improved in director's cut

Plot and storyDivisive30

Derivative, predictable, holes; director's cut helps a bit

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Big and sweeping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be swept up in something big.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Big and sweeping.

Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its space-opera rebellion with solemn gravity, leaning into the scale and violence without undercutting its sincerity.
The rideSustained tension and dark undertones dominate, with a hopeful glimmer in the final act as the warriors unite.
StructureThe film unfolds chronologically, from the arrival of the Imperium through the recruitment journey to the battle.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe victory is pyrrhic: the village saved but the empire unbroken, leaving a nagging sense that the fight is far from over.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeThe story follows Kora's quest to recruit warriors to defend her village from the Motherworld's forces, a clear mission-driven narrative.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalOppression · 4% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeA farming community and a former soldier fight to survive an empire's exploitation and violence, while Kora seeks redemption for her past service.
StanceThe film warns against the brutality of empire and the cost of survival, centering on a group of unlikely allies.

The world

Far futureRuralWildernessIn transitScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score
Settinga farming moon under an interstellar empire
MusicLikely a sweeping, epic score typical of space operas, but the composer is not verified from the synopsis.

Content guide

Is Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire okay for kids?

PG-13

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, sexual assault, bloody images, language, sexual material and partial nudity” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at moderate (49/100), language at moderate (39/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 88% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 31 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandR13
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Czechia15+
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaU/A 13+
  • Israel12
  • Italy14+
  • LTN-13
  • LU12
  • MexicoB
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • PRPG-13
  • RO15
  • SingaporeNC16
  • South Africa13
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland16
  • TH13
  • Türkiye18+
  • VIPG-13
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 57% of all filmsHeavier than 88% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 93%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 89%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 42%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 41%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 82%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire have?

MovieCove's classifier found 7 depicted content warnings in Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire: Gore or body horror (severe), Sexual harassment or grooming (severe), Sexual violence (severe), Gun violence (moderate), Medical procedures (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), plus 1 withheld here because it would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGore or body horrorSexual harassment or groomingSexual violence
ModerateGun violenceMedical procedures
MildAddiction or relapse

Cast and crew

Who is in Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sofia Boutella
as Kora
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Djimon Hounsou
as Titus
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ed Skrein
as Atticus Noble
Michiel Huisman
as Gunnar
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Bae Doona
as Nemesis
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Ray Fisher
as Darrian Bloodaxe
Charlie Hunnam
as Kai
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Anthony Hopkins
as Jimmy
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Staz Nair
as Tarak
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Fra Fee
as Balisarius

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire?

Movies like Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire include Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024), Space Battleship Yamato (2010) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Zack Snyder, and half are films set in the far future.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: space opera. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire?

263 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: space opera. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.