If you’re familiar with dystopian young adult content, you probably know the genre’s common tropes. Strong protagonists, rebellion against authority, class divide, loss of individualism, and corrupt or false utopia are only a few of the themes this particular niche tends to explore. Netflix’s movie Uglies is no exception.
Based on Scott Westerfeld’s popular novel series of the same name, Uglies takes things one step further by focusing on the value society places on beauty. The movie, which seems to resonate with young audiences, sends a powerful message about how essential it is to be your true self. Add some action into the mix, and you get a pretty exciting adaptation.
What Uglies Is About
Uglies is a sci-fi drama based on the first novel in Westerfeld’s book series. The Netflix movie is set in a dystopian world where everyone is considered “Ugly.” Until they turn 16 that is, when they have to undergo surgery to erase their imperfections and become “Pretty.” The purpose? To create a visually perfect society. Beauty means conformity, and conformity translates to peace.
The action revolves around Tally, a teen who is eagerly awaiting her transformation. When a friend of hers runs away, Tally ends up tangled with a group of rebels. Before long, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about beauty and freedom. Turns out, the surgery may be more than skin-deep, and the system isn’t as flawless as everyone is led to believe.
How Uglies Criticizes Society and Beauty
At its core, Uglies is a movie that explores both external and internal beauty. Despite the book coming out back in 2005, the premise continues to be relevant in a world where social media filters have become the norm and cosmetic surgeries are more prevalent than ever.
With insecure teens exposed to seemingly perfect influencers daily, it’s important to remember that, at the end of the day, your flaws make you who you really are. Looking like everyone else may help you fit in, but isn’t it more important to stand out? The movie’s message may not be exactly subtle, yet it should resonate with audiences regardless of age.
Furthermore, Uglies also tackles themes related to conformity. Without giving away too much, the mandatory surgery comes with side effects. As Tally discovers throughout the movie, stripping away uniqueness stifles freedom and creativity. Sacrificing individuality for the sake of fitting in isn’t worth it as long as you also have to sacrifice personal autonomy. Self-acceptance, on the other hand, is key to living a life that’s truly yours.
The Reviews Are In
Critics haven’t been kind to it, calling it underbaked and cheesy, among other unflattering adjectives. Moreover, the cast is anything but ugly, which makes the premise a bit tough to swallow. Uglies stars Joey King, Chase Stokes, Keith Powers, and Brianne Tju.
That said, the target audience is Uglies, the younger side, and some teens resonate with the movie’s message. On Rotten Tomatoes, many audience members declared themselves happy with the and eager to see more. Even more tuned in because they were fans of the books. There’s something special about watching a world you have already immersed yourself in time and time again go from page to screen.
If you’re one of them, bad news adaptation: Netflix hasn’t announced whether it has plans to adapt the other books in the series as well. There’s still time, as Uglies only premiered a couple of weeks ago. Plus, it quickly became the most-watched on the platform. Based on viewership numbers alone, a sequel is definitely not out of the question.
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