Sofia Boutella Reveals How She Felt About Rebel Moon's Negative Reviews

Sofia Boutella, known for her impressive dancing skills and an oeuvre of action roles, recently spoke to Variety about what it is like working in action films and the sexism that still plagues Hollywood. Sofia was recently seen in Rebel Moon, a space opera film directed by Zack Snyder. The sci-fi film saw a limited theatrical release on December 15, 2023, before it was released on Netflix on December 22. Its sequel The Scargiver will be released on April 19, 2024. Despite the film’s high budget and a renowned ensemble cast that included names like Ray Fisher, Charlie Hunnam, and Anthony Hopkins, it failed to get either critical or commercial acclaim.

The film was dubbed as Zack Snyder’s worst film by IndieWire, whereas The Guardian review called it, “an ugly, unforgivably dull and self-serious mess.” Sofia, who played the role of Kora, a soldier in a fictional galaxy’s army, shared that she was very upset about the scathing reviews.

She said, “I always thought that I was fully armed to take on those punches, and then I read the critics that came down on Rebel Moon and it really affected me.” She added, “I’ve been pretty lucky and people like my work in it, but the movie was criticised. It really affected me for all of those who put so much heart, tears, and sweat in this project. 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.”

The former rhythmic gymnast who has worked in at least ten action films like Atomic Blonde, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and SAS: Rogue Heroes, also spoke about how even in films that have action sequences for women, the way such scenes are edited is different than the editing done on action scenes that are focused on men.

Sofia said, “For men, the camera lingers — the editing doesn’t cut away, and it pulls in tight in the eyes. For women, the cut is quick.” She further added, “Yes, we want more characters for women that are strong in how they’re written. But then what you do with the camera and how you edit is also going to indicate something. I feel like the women are being done a disservice in the editing room.”