Rage of Stars (2026) Review: Fiery Sci-Fi Awaits

We open with Jemma (Andrea Tivadar), a steely operative in the International Special Forces Unit - which sounds like a very official organization that definitely exists in this universe. She’s not just good at shooting and tactical roll-dodging; she’s also got a nagging psychic itch. Specifically, she keeps having visions of humanity’s wholesale destruction. Not a vague “bad things loom” feeling, but full-on, in-your-face, supernova-level extinction event flashes.

Her superiors, including the stern Commander (Małgorzata Klara), think she’s cracking under pressure. Her team - the loyal Luk (Jord Knotter), the skeptical Kriss (Jack McEvoy), and the token tech guy Tom (Elijah Rowen) - are split between backing her play and booking her a shrink. Meanwhile, a mysterious force (maybe alien, maybe cosmic, maybe just the plot needing a third act) is closing in, and naturally, only Jemma can stop it. It’s a classic “Cassandra complex meets space marine” setup, but the script throws in a few time-skips and weird dream logic that make you question what’s real.

Let’s start with the good: Andrea Tivadar is committed. She brings a feral intensity to Jemma that the dialogue doesn’t always deserve. When she’s doing the action-hero thing - flipping over crates, disarming dudes with her pinky, staring off into the middle distance with a thousand-yard stare - you believe her. The action choreography is legitimately solid, especially in the first half. There’s a hallway fight scene with a glowing energy blade that had me leaning forward in my seat.

The problem? Director Łukasz Róg has the visual ambition of Denis Villeneuve but the narrative restraint of a sugar-high toddler. He throws everything at the screen - glitchy dream sequences, flashbacks within flashbacks, slow-mo shots of dust particles, a weird subplot about a space station that maybe doesn't exist? It looks stylish, sure, but style without substance is just a slideshow. The film’s 106-minute runtime feels about 20 minutes longer because the third act just kind of... loops. Characters give the same speeches about “the end of everything” three times, and by the time the big reveal lands, you’re less “whoa” and more “oh, okay, I guess that’s what it was.”

The supporting cast is a mixed bag. Jord Knotter does his best as Luk, the loyal friend with a secret, but he’s given about three expressions to work with. Jack McEvoy’s Kriss is the designated skeptic, and he nails the “I’m angry because the plot needs me to be” energy. Mayu Gralińska Sakai shows up as Maya, and she honestly seems like she wandered in from a cooler, more mysterious movie. We never get enough of her.

Critically, the film tries to blend hard sci-fi logic with mystical premonition, and it never quite gels. It’s not that the premise is bad - it’s that the film refuses to explain its own rules. If Jemma’s visions are unreliable, why should we trust the “save the world” plan? The ending feels abrupt, as if the studio ran out of money for a proper finale and just decided to fade to black with a dramatic sound sting. It’s frustrating, because there’s a genuinely cool core here.

Pros:

• Andrea Tivadar is a fantastic physical actress; her action scenes are genuinely top-tier.
• The visual aesthetic - neon-lit bunkers, swirling cosmic imagery - looks great on a decent screen.
• The first 40 minutes build tension really well.
• It doesn't overstay its welcome in terms of pure run time.
• A couple of genuinely creepy dream sequences that stick with you.

Cons:

• The story is a convoluted loop of vague visions and pseudo-philosophical dialogue.
• The supporting cast is wasted with archetypal, cardboard roles.
• The third act is a narrative mess that unravels any goodwill from the opening.
• Pacing stalls in the middle with repetitive “we must stop the end” conversations.
• The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying.

Rage of Stars is the definition of a “streaming Thursday night” movie. It’s got enough flash and bang to keep you mildly entertained, but not enough brain or heart to make you care deeply. The TMDb score of 5.067 feels harsh but fair - it’s aggressively average, elevated by a strong lead performance and a director who clearly loves the genre, let down by a script that needed another few drafts.

If you’re a fan of Andrea Tivadar or enjoy picking apart ambitious sci-fi failures, give it a shot. If you want a coherent, satisfying action-thriller, you’re better off rewatching Edge of Tomorrow. It's a shame, because somewhere within this cosmic chaos lies a really cool movie about a woman who can see death coming - but this version is just a flash in the pan. For the full Rage of Stars experience, wait for it to hit your favorite streaming service a few months from now, play it at 1 a.m., and let the weirdness wash over you. You might not remember it by morning, but you won't be bored for the ride.