Zack Snyder’s Netflix property is a travesty of style over substance LONDON: There used to be a lovely Hollywood legend about Tim Burton’s 1996 movie “Mars Attacks!” Though sadly now debunked, this bit of scuttlebutt claimed that Burton and his writers put together the storyline for their off-the-wall sci-fi comedy by pulling random, unconnected plot points out of a bag, and then figuring out how to move between them. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle Perhaps Zack Snyder mistook this unfounded rumor for a style of filmmaking — his latest feature, “Rebel Moon” (which debuts with this first installment, “A Child of Fire” and will continue with next year’s “The Scargiver”), may be the most discombobulating collection of mismatched sci-fi tropes ever committed to film. Even with an impressive cast, years of development and the might of Netflix behind him, Snyder has failed to put together anything even vaguely serviceable. When soldiers from the militaristic Imperium arrive on the simple farming moon of Veldt, the people of the settlement find themselves caught in the war between sadistic Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein) and a band of freedom fighters led by the Bloodaxes (yes). Farmer Kora (Sofia Boutella) is — wait for it — not a farmer at all, and when she steps in to protect her community, she must race to assemble a ragtag group of warriors to protect Veldt from the evil machinations of the Imperium. Hitching a ride with charming pilot Kai (Charlie Hunnam), Kora sets out to recruit the galaxy’s most wanted fugitives to fight alongside her. For all the ambition evident in Snyder’s sci-fi epic, there’s precious little time given over to world-building, character development, dialog or even simple storyline — there are several moments that simply make no sense. “Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire” unfolds as if mashed together by an overenthusiastic child and, to make matters worse, the much foreshadowed epic battle promised in all the trailers never even materializes. It’s infuriating to see such an opportunity to create a new cinematic galaxy pass by with such a gutless whimper. And, speaking of rumors, “Rebel Moon” was apparently proposed as a new, “more mature” entry into the “Star Wars” franchise. After Snyder’s first installment, that feels like a very, very lucky escape for the galaxy far, far away.