“Uglies”, a dystopian Netflix film, is the type of adaptation that leaves the viewer wondering if we really needed this to be made. Based on Scott Westerfeld’s 2005 YA novel, the movie presents a world where everyone is labeled “ugly” until their 16th birthday when they undergo surgery to become “pretty”.
Having never read the original book, I approached the film with an open mind, but it quickly became clear that “Uglies” is a relic of early 2010’s plotlines that probably should have stayed in the past. It seems the film was made with longtime fans of the book in mind rather than today’s audience. In my opinion, the film seems to not have the charm that I’ve heard about, making the film feel both dated and clumsy.
The story follows Tally (Joey King), a teenager who is eagerly waiting for her transformation into a Pretty, where she will join her best friend Peris (Chase Stokes) in the city. However, she soon realized that the oppressive regime, led by Dr. Cable (Lavern Cox), is more sinister than it appears. Tally eventually finds her way into a rebel group called The Smokes, and the movie becomes a whirlwind of predictable twist.
While the film highlight’s themes of beauty standards and social conformity, the message feels a bit lost with the dialogue. Tallys transformation from eager participant to heroic rebel makes her character arc feel a bit too perfect.
Cox’s character, who is supposed to be the embodiment of evil in this world, comes off more robotic than scary. For some reason her character just does not quite hit the mark of evil, and instead feels underdeveloped.
Visually, “Uglies” promises fascinating futuristic technology, and there are moments where I almost wish we had a microwave that could conjure up whatever food I wanted. But beyond that, we don’t get to experience much of this perfect futuristic world. We also barely spend time in The Smoke before Tally realizes that everything was a lie, making her sudden flip to being a rebel a bit unconvicting.
In the end, “Uglies” is another YA dystopian film that checks all the boxes but brings little new to the table. While the original novel might have had more layers to it, this adaptation does not do much and instead leaves it as a predictable trope.
If you are looking for something fresh, then this might not be it. But if you are a fan of the genre and want some light entertainment, you might find a few enjoyable moments. Just don’t expect “Uglies” to stand out in a sea of more compelling dystopian narratives.
My rating is 1 out of 5 Stars.