The emotional depth added to Rebel Moon 2 finally creates characters worth rooting for, especially Djimon Hounsou's Titus. Snyder's typical slow-motion action is actually used effectively in an epic, frenzied third act. The Scargiver rises off the ashes of the first film with solid characters and a satisfying climax, even if you've seen this all before and you know where it's going.

Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver rescues Zack Snyder's Netflix franchise by standing on its own creative feet and establishing a viable path forward. The bar was admittedly set low for the sequel. The original, A Child of Fire, was a colossal disappointment that felt like a stale retread of Star Wars and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. The Scargiver rises off those ashes as an ass-kicking, sci-fi actioner with legitimate character development. Djimon Hounsou, basically mute in the first film, resurrects his Gladiator gravitas to rally a ragtag,...