the wandering moon movie review

The Wandering Moon

Suzu Hirose (Sarasa Kanai) Tôri Matsuzaka (Fumi Saeki) Ryûsei Yokohama (Ryo Nakase) Mikako Tabe (Ayumi Tani) Shuri (Kanako Anzai) Takahiro Miura (Yumura) Tamaki Shiratori (Sarasa Kanai (10 years old)) Mio Masuda (Rika Anzai) Yayako Uchida (Otoha Saeki) Akira Emoto (Agata)

Sang-il Lee

In a park on a rainy evening, a 19-year-old university student, Fumi, offers an umbrella to a soaking wet 10-year-old girl, Sarasa. Realizing her reluctance to go home, Fumi lets her stay in his place, where she spends the next two months in peace. They take each other's hands and seem to have finally found their place in the world until Fumi is arrested for kidnapping. Fifteen years later, the lonely two are reunited both still suffering from the stigma as the victim and perpetrator of "a pedophile case". Will the society give a place to their unshakable bond they have formed?

Recommendations

Advertisement

• page content

The Wandering Moon

Not many Korean directors have been able to make a real impact in Japan, Sang-il Lee is a notable exception. He is a bit slow to make new films and it did take him a while to find his signature style, but his more recent track record is pretty impressive. The Wandering Moon [Ruro no Tsuki] is the latest film to continue his positive streak. People looking for more challenging Japanese dramas already know to look out for Lee's work, others might find a pretty perfect gateway into this little niche. If, of course, the film can find its way to the international stage.

At the beginning of his career, Lee tried to break through with some shoddier comedies. Though some of them enjoyed mild success overseas, I can't say I really cared for them all that much. It was only when I encountered Lee's darker side that I began to take a genuine interest in his work. It's good then that The Wandering Moon is in line with Lee's better outings. Maybe not quite as outwardly gritty as Villain or Rage, but topically and emotionally The Wandering Moon is one of his most challenging films to date. And I believe that makes it one of his best too.

I suspect not too many people will feel like sympathizing with a non-acting pedophile, but that's exactly what Lee is gunning for with this film. If you only care about legal arguments or black-and-white moralistic statements, this film will be hell to watch. If, on the other hand, you are willing to explore and maybe even accept the 1% that doesn't fit into broad rationalizations, The Wandering Moon offers a rare glimpse into a world that is deemed inappropriate by most. Don't confuse this with a pro-pedophilia film though, instead, consider it a film that scrapes away at easy truths and crass convictions.

Sarasa finds herself stuck in a poor relationship. Her soon-to-be husband is overly controlling and doesn't quite respect her as a person. Rather, he still sees her as the helpless victim of a kidnapping that happened when he was only 11 years old. Fumi, a 19-year-old student, took her in and the two of them lived together for two months, only to be rescued by the police in the end. On a night out, Sarasa bumps into Fumi. He doesn't seem to remember her, but Sarasa can't get the encounter out of her head and finds herself returning to his café to try and confront her former kidnapper.

The cinematography is handled by Hong Kyung-pyo, the man who shot Parasite and helped Koreeda land his first Korean film. He does a pretty good job, though it must be said that The Wandering Moon mostly sticks to established genre conventions. The framing and camerawork are delicate, the colors are perfectly graded, and the lighting is on point, it's just that nothing really stands out. The best moments are when Lee diverts from the narrative and builds in short mood pieces, with some snappier editing and slightly more abstract visuals. These scenes are short, but they do add a lot to the overall mood.

The score is perfectly in line with the visuals. It's not the most challenging or original choice of music, but the quality is well above average and it adds grace and depth to the production. Strings and pianos always work well in Asian dramas of course, and Lee has enough going on elsewhere. Still, it's nice to see that there are a handful of scenes where the visuals and music do come together to provide short atmospheric breathers. These are the moments that help elevate the film and make it something more than a well-produced, challenging drama, giving it that extra lick of cinematic flair.

The performances are strong across the board. As you can imagine, these aren't the easiest characters to portray, but the actors do so with a mix of dedication and subtlety that adds a lot of texture to their parts. Tori Matsuzaka's role in particular is tricky, but his scenes with Mikako Tabe are some of the most poignant ones in the film. Suzu Hirose deserves credit too for playing the older version of Sarasa. Her interest in her former kidnapper feels genuine, which is essential for grounding the minor twist that transpires halfway through. Some powerhouse performances here, that make a real difference.

The narrative itself isn't that subtle, Lee loves elaborate constructs and there are quite a few twists and turns that set up all the pieces needed for the drama to unfold. This could've easily turned into gratuitous sentiment or shlocky shock drama, but Lee handles it with the appropriate amount of respect and nuance. Considering the themes and the emotional grief characters face, the film is surprisingly delicate and the closer it gets to its finale, the easier it becomes to empathize with the characters, no matter how dubious and unfathomable some of their urges and choices are.

The Wandering Moon may sound reprehensible and wrong on paper, but the delicate styling, Lee's nuanced direction, and some stellar performances make all the difference. Still, it's not a drama that will appeal to all, certainly not to those who can't open themselves up to the uncomfortable elements that steer the narrative. It might not even matter that much, since it doesn't look like the film is making its way over here, but should you have the chance to watch it, make sure that you're up for it. It's an impressive and powerful drama, but it sure stings.

Search for films and people

The Wandering Moon

On a rainy evening, 19-year-old university student Fumi Saeki happens to meet 9-year-old Sarasa Kanai in the park. Kanai Sarasa is soaking wet. She is separated from her parents and lives with her aunt, but she tells Saeki Fumi that she doesn't want to go back to her aunt. Saeki Fumi takes Kanai Sarasa to his apartment and they live together for the next 2 months. Saeki Fumi is then arrested for kidnapping. He is labeled as a dangerous kidnapper and Kanai Sarasa is labeled as a poor victim. 15 years later, Kanai Sarasa and Saeki Fumi happen to meet each other.

Release Date

Suzu Hirose

Tori Matsuzaka

Ryusei Yokohama

Mikako Tabe

Recommended films.

his - What Is Love

Capturing Dad

Liar x Liar

Wolf Girl and Black Prince

The End of the Tiny World

The Blue Skies at Your Feet

Just Call Me Nobody

What a Wonderful Life!!

Where to watch.

•  Japan

• Rankings FA
• TV Premiere Calendar
• Coming in 2024
• Latest Reviews
• Cannes 2024 New

The Wandering Moon

• Credits 
• Trailers  [1]
• Image gallery  [1]

All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors.

• See all credits

All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.

User history

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Wandering Moon

• In a park on a rainy evening, a 19-year-old university student, Fumi, offers an umbrella to a soaking wet 10-year-old girl, Sarasa. Realizing her reluctance to go home, Fumi lets her stay in his place, where she spends the next two months in peace. They take each other's hands and seem to have finally found their place in the world until Fumi is arrested for kidnapping. Fifteen years later, the lonely two are reunited both still suffering from the stigma as the victim and perpetrator of "a pedophile case". Will the society give a place to their unshakable bond they have formed?

It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. Be the first to contribute.

Contribute to this page

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore.

Recently viewed

Geek Review: Wandering (流浪の月)

•   Shares

Forgive our, ahem, wild imagination, but we believe this Japanese film has got what it takes to play up the kink factor. Or a sensational crime thriller that involves sex, drugs and murder.

19-year-old university student Fumi sees a nine-year-old girl Sarasa in the park on a rainy day. Soaking wet, Sarasa tells Fumi she lives with her aunt but does not want to return home. What does the teenager do? He brings her to his apartment and they begin living together. We are assuming that most of us would have brought the kid to the police station.

Two months pass as we see Fumi and Sarasa having meals and reading books together. The relationship is platonic and the girl’s choice to stay with the guy seems voluntary. We also learn that Sarasa does not want to return to her aunt’s place because she was sexually abused by her cousin.

One day, when the duo are hanging out in the park one day, where Sarasa is having a relaxing swim in the lake while Fumi simply watches, the police appear. He is arrested for kidnapping and becomes labelled by the public as a dangerous paedophile. No thanks to the countless media reports, the girl is seen as a poor victim.

Fast forward another 15 years. Sarasa seems to be leading a normal life, working part time at a restaurant and living with her fiancé. Fumi has also seemingly moved on – he is the owner of a charming cafe and has an adult girlfriend. The two eventually meet and the past catches up with them.

So you see, this movie, based on Yu Nagira’s bestselling novel, Ruro No Tsuki, could have been a thrilling drama filled with high-strung emotions, but Korean-Japanese filmmaker Lee Sang-il’s latest work is not that kind of movie. Given the questionable subject matter about forbidden love, the film takes a very measured approach and the result is a very subdued film that makes see unconventional relationships from a very normal perspective. There is no exploitative sensationalism, just scene after scene presented with sophisticated elegance.

The 150-minute runtime may be a test of patience for edgy viewers, because there are many sequences that could have been shortened or omitted. But if you’re in the mood to appreciate the gorgeous cinematography by Hong Kyung-pyo, then every second of the slow burning film is a visual treat. You would be enchanted by the light shining through the characters’ apartments and the natural glow of sunlight in the outdoor scenes. It makes Japan a really beautiful country to live in.

Kudos to the ensemble cast as well. Suzu Hirose takes on the role of adult Sarasa, and she makes the character relatable despite the debatable choices she made as a child. The young Sarasa is played by Tamaki Shiratori, and the actress has an enigmatic charisma that makes you empathise with her. Then there is Tori Matsuzaka who portrays Fumi, who has been hiding a dark secret. When the truth is finally revealed in the film’s last act, you may even feel a lump in your throat.

GEEK REVIEW SCORE

Given that the male protagonist of this Japanese film has a Lolita complex, it could have been a movie filled with exploitative sensationalism. But the result is an elegant and beautiful slow-burner that attempts to explore a complicated subject matter.

• Story - 7/10 7/10
• Direction - 7.5/10 7.5/10
• Characterisation - 7/10 7/10
• Geek Satisfaction - 7/10 7/10

John believes there is another world waiting for us. A better world with Blu-ray discs, CDs, fast food, beer and Happy Meal toys. And he will be waiting for you there.

You may also like

Geek Review: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Apes together strong, and they’re stronger than ever in the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Geek Review – Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (Disney+)

If you ever felt the pull of the Dark Side, Tales of the Empire awaits.

Geek Review: Challengers

Tennis is a relationship with plenty of swing, and a real hot one in Challengers.

We Are Social

Recent posts.

Mental Health Awareness Month: 8 Ways Apple Devices Support Mental Health

SharkNinja Leads 2024 Lineup With Shark HydroVac Cordless Vacuum & Ninja Blast Portable Blender

Microsoft Challenges Google And Apple With Xbox Mobile Game Store

’Fantastic Four’ Casts Ralph Ineson As Galactus, Adds John Malkovich

ASUS Teases Revised ROG Ally X Handheld PC With Bigger Battery And Tweaks, But No Performance Upgrade

Nokia 3210 Celebrates 25 Years With Modernised Relaunch

Geekstagram.

We’re geeks, & proud of it!

We are a collective bunch of geeks who love to share our passion with the rest of the world. Just like the Beholder we have adopted as our mascot, we have both depth and width of geeky topics we cover.

By visiting this page, you declare yourself one of us! If you have grown up with a steady diet of all things related to video games, Star Wars, Star Trek, sci-fi, gadgets, toys, Transformers one way or another, this will be your second home.

Latest Videos

• What’s New?
• Anime/Comics
• Board Games

• Subscribe Digital Print

• Tourism in Japan
• Latest News
• Deep Dive Podcast

Today's print edition

Home Delivery

• Crime & Legal
• Science & Health
• More sports
• CLIMATE CHANGE
• SUSTAINABILITY
• EARTH SCIENCE
• Food & Drink
• Style & Design
• TV & Streaming
• Entertainment news

‘Wandering’: Questionable subject matter, handled with care

Japanese films about forbidden love go back decades, but the definition of “forbidden” has changed, if more so abroad than here. Hideo Jojo’s 2022 sex comedy “ Love Nonetheless ” would be a hard sell in Hollywood since its story of a 16-year-old girl pursuing a 30-year-old guy as a marriage partner would raise eyebrows at the pair’s inappropriate age difference.

Fumi Saeki (Tori Matsuzaka) has a Lolita complex, but his interest in Sarasa Kanai (Tamaki Shiratori), a girl he happens to meet, is platonic and the film presents her choice to stay with him as voluntary. Sarasa, who was sexually abused by a male cousin in her aunt’s home after her father’s death and mother’s abandonment, enjoys a new sense of freedom and safety with the tolerant, understanding Fumi, who lets her gorge on ice cream and loll about watching TV. With his arrest, her idyll comes to a jarring end.

Fifteen years later and Sarasa (Suzu Hirose) is working part-time at a restaurant and living with Ryo (Ryusei Yokohama), her marriage-minded salaryman boyfriend. A controlling type, Ryo nonetheless offers a stability that seems attractive to Sarasa’s chatty workmate Kanako (the single-named Shuri), though, Sarasa has her doubts, especially after she meets his conservative family in the countryside.

Sarasa then encounters Fumi at an upscale coffee shop, where he is the proprietor, but he doesn’t recognize her. Rather than reintroduce herself, she becomes a regular customer — and nighttime stalker. When she discovers that Fumi has an adult girlfriend (Mikako Tabe), she begins to feel jealous.

But when Ryo, who knows about her past, learns that she is still obsessed with her alleged kidnapper, he explodes in violent anger. Bloodied and reeling, she finds refuge in Fumi. Recapturing the glow of their happier days, however, will be harder.

Shot with steely precision and elegiac beauty by South Korean cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, who worked on Bong Joon-ho’s Academy Award-winning “Parasite,” the film exists in a visually sumptuous, highly charged world of its own. The story, which alternates between Sarasa’s traumatic girlhood and her troubled present, unfolds on the borders between manga-esque fantasy (Nagira once wrote “boys’ love” comics and their influence shows) and the harsh realities of Japanese society, in which hate on the internet can be overwhelming and everlasting.

All this is familiar territory by now, but Lee, who also scripted the film, elevates it beyond moral melodrama with an intensity and specificity that persuades and engages, despite a tendency toward overwrought theatrics. He is aided by strong performances from Matsuzaka, who makes the damaged and inscrutable Fumi humanly sympathetic, and Hirose, who totally inhabits Sarasa in all her complexity, gut-wrenching guilt included.

The film’s discovery, however, is Shiratori, who plays the young Sarasa with a winning confidence, energy and charm. Bringing a needed light and emotional grounding to the story, she sets “Wandering” on the right, if never straight, path to success.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

• Coming Soon Theaters • Online
• Advanced Search
• Collections Top 500
• Recommendations Movies • TV Shows
• Search by Name
• Popular Top 500
• My TV Shows
• My Calendar
• Coming Soon Premieres

Movie's ratings

• Kinorium 6.7 100+
• IMDb 6.9 775
• Cast & Crew
• Screenshots
• Technical Data

The Wandering Moon

Rurô no tsuki.

• Based on Book

Related Movies There are no related titles yet, but you can add them:

Lee sang-il — top rated movies.

Add a short review

280 characters

Sign up and you will see here friends impressions of the movie.

Friends comments and ratings, trending movies.

The best website for movie search and thoughts sharing with friends

• Browser extension

Beautiful, interesting, incredible cinema.

THE WANDERING MOON

In a park on a rainy evening, a 19-year-old university student, Fumi, offers an umbrella to a soaking wet 10-year-old girl, Sarasa. Realizing her reluctance to go home, Fumi lets her stay in his place, where she spends the next two months in peace.

This is a catalogue where you can find Japanese content that can be introduced worldwide.

Create an account in order to find the following information.

Tokyo Sogensha Co., Ltd. Bookmark

THE WANDERING MOON

Information will be available after you log in. Please create an account.

Rights Information

Other Special Conditions

*Winner of the 2020 Honya Taisho (Japan Bookseller's Award). *Over 800,000 copies sold. *Major film “RUROU NO TSUKI (THE WANDERING MOON)” released May, 2022. Directed by Lee Sang-Il (Hula Girls, Villan, Rage etc.), Cinematography: Hong Kyung-pyo (Parasite), Production Design: Yohei Taneda Music: Marihiko Hara Starring Suzu Hirose and Tori Matsuzaka Official HP　https://gaga.ne.jp/rurounotsuki/ No one in the world will understand, everyone will try to stop us being together, but I still want to be with you, Fumi ― a breathtakingly beautiful novel by Yuu Nagira, describing two wandering souls in a society that fails to accept those that cannot fit into the "normal" life . Unwelcome at home, 9-year-old Sarasa is taken in by 19-year-old Fumi. The two live a happy and idyllic life until society condemns Fumi as a child abductor, and the two are ripped apart. 15 years later, Sarasa sees Fumi working as a café owner in her town. Sarasa and Fumi were misunderstood all those years ago, and again, society labels them as unfit to the society, averting their eyes from the secrets the two have held over the years.

Author’s Information

After her debut in 2007, Nagira quickly became one of the most popular authors in the “BL” genre. In 2017, her first non-BL novel “Kamisama no Biotope (God’s Biotope)” was published, followed by several titles including “The Wandering Moon”. With Nagira’s skilled character buildup and deft story making, along with her sensitive description of feelings, “The Wandering Moon” was awarded The Honya Taisho and became the bestselling fiction of 2020.

This information will be available once you have created your account. Once created, you can also contact the licensor.

▶Create an Account

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the wandering earth.

Now streaming on:

"The Wandering Earth" cured my winter depression. 

Seriously: on opening night, I happily joined a packed Times Square auditorium-full of moviegoers watching this science-fiction adventure, which stars a talented ensemble of of Mandarin-speaking actors trying to stop the Earth from crashing into Jupiter. I left the theater hoping that "The Wandering Earth"  would be one of this year's Chinese New Year's hits . It grossed $300 million in China during its opening week alone, a hopeful sign that we'll see more entertainment as assured as this.

The setup might seem familiar at first. Two teams of astronauts fight to save the Earth years after its leaders transformed it into a planet-sized spaceship to escape destruction by an overactive sun. The first team is a two-man skeleton crew: the square-jawed Peiqiang Liu ( Jing Wu ) and his Russian cosmonaut buddy Makarov ( Arkady Sharogradsky ). The other is a small exploratory group led by Peiqiang's feisty twentysomething son Qi Liu (Chuxio Qu) and his upbeat partner Duoduo Han (Jinmai Zhao). These factions respectively spend most of their time battling MOSS, an unhelpful computer in a remote space station; and exploring an ice-covered Earth in stolen all-terrain vehicles (some of which bring to mind "Total Recall," specifically the tank-sized drill-cars).

But while director Frant Gwo and his writing team blend Cixin Liu's source novel with elements from American-made sci-fi disaster films—including " Armageddon ," " The Day After Tomorrow ," and "Sunshine"—they synthesize them in a visually dynamic, emotionally engaging way that sets the project apart from its Western cousins, and marks it as a great and uniquely Chinese science fiction film.

For one thing, rather than build the tale around a lone hero ringed by supporting players, "The Wandering Earth" distributes bravery generously amid an ensemble that includes action hero Wu; rising stars Qu and Zhao; and comedy institution Man-Tat Ng, who plays a grey-bearded spaceman named Zi'ang Ha. The script, credited to a team of six, never valorizes a singular chest-puffing hero, nor does it scapegoat a mustache-twirling antagonist (not even MOSS, the sentient, HAL-9000-style computer program in the space station). 

The teamwork theme is cross-generational, too. Both Peiqiang and Ng (formerly the straight man to film comedy superstar  Stephen Chow ) are treated with reverence because they're older, and are therefore presumed to have more experience and stronger moral fiber. The veterans work well with the film's younger astronauts, whose optimism makes them as brazen as they are idealistic. 

This apolitical blockbuster about a post-climate-change disaster extends its belief in teamwork to the rest of the international community. The movie is filled with narrative diversions that reassure viewers that no single country's leaders are smarter, more responsible, or more capable than the rest—except, of course, for the Chinese.

Second, "The Wandering Earth" looks better than most American special-effects spectaculars because it gives you breathing space to admire landscape shots of a dystopian Earth that suggest old fashioned matte-paintings on steroids. Although Gwo and his team realized their expensive-looking vision with the help of a handful of visual effects studios, including the  Weta Workshop , they have somehow blended their many influences in bold, stylish ways that only Hollywood filmmakers like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg have previously managed.  

Third, the film's creators breathe new life into hackneyed tropes. Gwo and his team take a little extra time to show off the laser beams, steering wheels, and hydraulic joints on their space cars and exoskeleton suits, to make the gear seem unique. And the storytelling goes extra mile to show viewers the emotional stress and natural obstacles that the characters must overcome while solving scientifically credible dilemmas (all vetted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences). This movie may not be the next " 2001: A Space Odyssey ," but it's everything "2010: The Year We Make Contact" should have been (and I like "2010," a lot).

A week after seeing "The Wandering Earth," I'm still marveling at how good it is. I can't think of another recent computer-graphics-driven blockbuster that left me feeling this giddy because of its creators' can-do spirit and consummate attention to detail. The future is here, and it is nerve-wracking, gorgeous, and Chinese.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

Now playing

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Glenn kenny.

Sweet Dreams

Matt zoller seitz.

Food, Inc. 2

Peyton Robinson

It's Only Life After All

Sheila o'malley, film credits.

The Wandering Earth (2019)

125 minutes

Li Guangjie

Jin Mai Jaho

Qu Jingjing

Arkady Sharogradsky

Cinematographer

• Michael Liu
• Ka-Fai Cheung

Latest blog posts

The 10 Most Anticipated Films of Cannes 2024

The Importance of Connections in Ryusuke Hamaguchi Films

Saving Film History One Frame at a Time: A Preview of Restored & Rediscovered Series at the Jacob Burns Film Center

The Beatles Were Never More Human Than in ‘Let It Be’

• The Inventory

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver: We've Got Good News and We've Got Bad News

The good news about Zack Snyder’s latest film , Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver is that, without a doubt, it’s better than its predecessor. It’s more focused, cohesive, and character-driven, telling a story that nearly makes Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire feel insignificant . Unfortunately, there’s also bad news. The bad news is those positives don’t outshine the negatives. It’s slower, unbalanced, and emotionally vapid. But, if you enjoyed the first film, you’ll like this one even more. If you didn’t enjoy the last film, you probably won’t like this one either, but it’s at least a more well-rounded affair.

Most of that is a result of the film’s structure. In A Child of Fire , the story follows Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious warrior who travels the galaxy to recruit a band of warriors to defend her home planet of Veldt from the evil soldiers from Motherworld. As a result, the film had a lot going on. There was set-up, conflict, and a lot of new locations and characters—and then just when things were coming together, it ended.

In The Scargiver , almost all of the action takes place in a single location as Kora and the surviving characters from the first film make a home on Veldt and begin preparations for the coming war. With less plot to get through, Snyder is able to spend more time with the characters. Kora reveals all her secrets to Gunnar (Michiel Huisman) as they finally get together and make good on the previously teased romance. The townspeople have multiple training sessions with various weapons and characters, giving even minor players places to grow. And each of the remaining warriors, such as Titus (Djimon Hounsou), Nemesis (Doona Bae), and Millius (Elise Duffy), dive into their pasts while forming relationships with townsfolk in the present. The coming battle then gains actual stakes as everyone develops new friendships, loves, and more. We actually kind of care about who lives and dies. At least hypothetically.

A downside to this more character-focused, insular story is that it’s not Snyder’s forte. So, while he’s doing the right things in theory, it doesn’t always work practically. Scenes drag. Pacing gets awkward leading to disconnection. And, ultimately, the valiant attempts at eliciting emotion largely miss the mark. For example, scenes of farming are oddly told with dynamic slow motion usually reserved for action, totally taking you out of the moment. A crucial scene between our heroes gets overly repetitive and frustratingly bloated when every single character gets their own flashback, told one after the other. Each scene tells us something about the story, but the methods employed feel closer to a checklist of obligations than dramatic development, almost as if we’re just killing time waiting for that final battle. The Scargiver certainly does its best to connect the characters with the audience, but it never quite gets there.

Nevertheless, this is a Zack Snyder movie, so if it’s all building to a big battle, odds are that battle is going to deliver, which this one does. After two movies escalating toward this one showdown between the heroes of Veldt and the villains of Motherworld, Snyder not only gives us action galore, but plenty of twists and surprises along the way. The final act isn’t just a fun set piece with plenty of guns, vehicles, battles, and explosions, it unfolds like its own mini-movie. There are highs, there are lows, and then the climactic battle has its own climatic moment that blends elements from Star Wars and Tron . Which we know sounds odd, but it works.

As Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver ended, a few things quickly popped into my head. First, very little of the first movie seemed relevant here. Charlie Hunnam’s betrayal, the giant spiderlady, Anthony Hopkins’ robot character Jimmy, the resurrection of Ed Skrein’s Atticus Noble—a few of these things are part of this story, but none of them pay off in an important, impactful way justifying a whole other movie. In fact, it was almost as if you didn’t need to see, or even remember, the first movie to understand and enjoy this one.

I also realized that while Snyder is well known for making his movies longer— both parts of Rebel Moon have longer, R-rated versions coming later this year— Rebel Moon simply should have been shorter. Think about it. The biggest problems with Part One are that you don’t care about anyone, and that it’s overstuffed and disjointed. Part Two has opposite, yet complimentary, problems. It focuses more on the characters, but it drags out and gets stale. So, if both parts were trimmed and put together into one complete story, you might be left with something more complete and satisfying than its longer, split-down-the-middle self.

Alas, that’s not the Rebel Moon we got to see. We got Part One and now Part Two , a better film in almost every way, but still one that doesn’t work in the way it wants to. The final act is fun and there is some cool action and world-building throughout, but in the end, even an improvement doesn’t warrant Rebel Moon - Part Two a recommendation.

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver is now on Netflix.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .