Watching Rebel, starring Prabhas, feels like being trapped in a relentless storm of chaos, bad decisions, and questionable filmmaking. It's a film that promises action and drama but delivers a mess so muddled that even the most forgiving viewer would struggle to find redemption in it.
The writing here is the first major offender. The story, if you can call it that, is riddled with clichés and feels like it was cobbled together from a dozen other films, all far better executed. Characters are poorly fleshed out, and what's worse is that everyone-good guys included-behaves like morally bankrupt individuals. There's no one to root for because they all seem equally unpleasant, which only adds to the film's tiresome slog.
Prabhas does his best to bring charisma to the lead role, but even his presence can't save Rebel from its glaring flaws. The fight choreography is laughably bad, relying on childlike logic that defies all physics and reason. Watching grown men fly across the screen in slow motion with each punch made me question whether this was meant to be a parody. Add to that the gratuitous violence, which feels neither impactful nor necessary, and you're left with scenes that are both exhausting and hard to take seriously.
The direction lacks any sense of control or vision, with pacing that jumps wildly between scenes and tonal shifts that make the film feel schizophrenic. The silliness hits its peak in moments that are supposed to be dramatic or thrilling but come off as unintentionally comical. I found myself laughing more than I should have, and not for the right reasons.
Ultimately, Rebel is a derivative, poorly executed mess that squanders its star power and any potential it might have had. The film revels in its absurdity but doesn't seem to realize it, and what could've been an entertaining action romp turns into a long, frustrating experience. If you're looking for thrills or even guilty-pleasure fun, I'd suggest looking elsewhere, this one's best avoided.
