Rebel Moon's Sofia Boutella Wonders If She 'Did Too Much' After Disastrous Reviews

Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire" was poorly received by critics, with many reviews offering strong, negative words for the big-budget science fiction film. The response was so harsh that actor Sofia Boutella, who plays the former Imperium soldier-turned-rebel Kora, admits the negative reception has affected her and how she thinks about her performance.

In a conversation with Vulture about being an action star, Boutella said that she wondered if, in bringing the role of Kora to life, she did too much through her performance beyond what was written on the page. She said she wanted to bring a sense of vulnerability to her character in and was appreciative of director Zack Snyder giving her the chance to do so.

"The beauty of working with Zack is that he allowed me to go there," Boutella said of her experience shooting the film. "I watch the film now, and I'm like, [Sighs.] 'Did I do too much? Did I try to make a meal out of it?' In movie No. 2, you find out something about her past that for me was fun to go through, but I did not know how to forgive the character. Like, how do you keep on living with yourself? ... she carries a massive, massive guilt that needed to show."

"Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire," which has received a 21% rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes and a 31/100 weighted average review from Metacritic, was panned by critics, with more than one comparing it unfavorably to "Star Wars." While speaking with Vulture, Sofia Boutella also discussed reading bad reviews for the Netflix movie.

Despite the movie's poor critical reception, Boutella said she will always be a defender of the film as well as the crew behind the project. She also relayed that she felt compassion for everyone involved who was getting torched in reviews. "It really affected me for all of those who put so much heart, tears, and sweat in this project," Boutella told Vulture. "It's hard to see something being demolished to that extent. I'm proud to have been part of it, and if there is no more 'Rebel Moon,' it will be a very important part of my life that I will defend forever."

Boutella's performance may end up being viewed in a different light by critics with the release of the R-rated Snyder cut of "Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire," which is described as "hardcore" by her fellow cast member, Ed Skrein. Additionally, Boutella will have a chance to prove doubters wrong when she returns to the role of Kora in "Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver," which arrives on Netflix in April 2024.