Now streaming on Netflix, ‘Uglies’ .
Synopsis: In a futuristic dystopia with enforced beauty standards, a teen awaiting mandatory cosmetic surgery goes on a journey to find her missing friend.
Director: McG
Written by: Based on a book series by Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Sci-fi, Drama
Released Date: September 13, 2024 (Netflix)
In its own way, the film makes a decent attempt at addressing beauty standards and society’s growing obsession with them in recent years.
While relevant, the story could have done a better job of conveying this theme.
The ending, where Joey King’s character still undergoes the cosmetic procedure after spending the entire movie rebelling against it, felt illogical and undermined the message.
‘Uglies’ felt like an amalgamation of tired YA tropes we’ve seen countless times before.
The central theme—that being “pretty” isn’t everything—came across as heavy-handed; plus the repeated use of the term “pretty” quickly became tiresome and the intended message of non-conformity felt stale and outdated.
The rebellion and teen themes, which could have been engaging, instead came off as forced and unimaginative.
Most of the action scenes lacked energy, with Joey King floating on a board in mid-air for what felt like half the movie.
The cast gave it their best, but it’s Keith Powers’ portrayal of ‘David’ that will keep you watching until the end.
It’s a forgettable entry in the YA adaptation genre—if you can even stay awake long enough to finish it.
Uglies holds a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 5 out of 10 on IMDb.