It’s been a few years since Hollywood’s craze for young adult dystopian franchises like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner. Enter Uglies, Netflix’s new adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s 2005 novel, aiming to launch a fresh trilogy. However, the film already feels outdated, attempting to echo its predecessors. Directed by McG (The Babysitter: Killer Queen) and penned by Divergent screenwriter Vanessa Taylor, along with Jacob Forman and Whit Anderson, the script covers familiar ground with dystopian YA themes: personal transformation, staying true to one’s values, and recognizing the real enemy.
To the film’s credit, the topic of plastic surgery and beauty standards in 2024 is both relevant and timely for young audiences. Unfortunately, Uglies delivers these themes in the most awkward and unconvincing way possible. Much like The Hunger Games, this post-apocalyptic society is controlled by a garishly colorful capital city, inhabited by elites distinguishable by their extreme appearance, exaggerated through over-the-top CGI that’s more distracting than effective. After some clunky exposition from lead Joey King about an oil crisis, a flower that saved the world (somehow), and a mandatory “transformation” every 16-year-old must undergo, we find ourselves in the dorm room of King’s character, Tally Youngblood.
The film wastes no time getting to its point. Tally and her best friend Peris (played by Outer Banks actor Chase Stokes) seem like they could be more than friends, but his surgery is the next day. They promise to stay the same on the inside, but after his operation, the “prettified” Peris is distant and cold towards Tally. She, meanwhile, flees in a bungee vest and hoverboard from a society that instantly recognizes her as “Ugly.” The idea that any of these photogenic actors, especially King, could be considered unattractive comes across as unintentionally laughable.
During her escape, Tally befriends rebellious student Shay (Brianne Tju), who plans to avoid the surgery by joining an outsider group known as the Smoke. After Shay disappears, the menacing Dr. Cable (Laverne Cox) offers Tally a deal: spy on the Smoke and bring back Shay, or remain an “Ugly” forever. Eager to become “Pretty,” Tally infiltrates the Smoke, falls for their leader David (Keith Powers), and discovers the lies behind the seemingly perfect world of the Pretties. The story also includes firefights, superhuman Pretties (including Peris), and regret-filled former plastic surgeons.
Despite the promising premise, Uglies falls flat, lacking depth or nuance in its exploration of beauty standards and societal control. Most of the film’s elements come off as absurd without being fun. Chase Stokes, at 31, is painfully unconvincing as a 16-year-old, and there’s an odd fixation on Henry David Thoreau’s Walden that feels out of place. Meanwhile, viewers are subjected to uncomfortable scenes of Tally nitpicking her “flaws,” such as her blue eyes and perfectly symmetrical face. Adding to the queasiness is the casting of Laverne Cox, one of Hollywood’s most visible trans actors, as a villain whose surgeries turn out to be toxic and brainwashing.
From the overdone CGI in Netflix’s trademark glossy style to dialogue stripped of personality and depth, the film feels manufactured and empty. Joey King does her best to inject some life into the character of Tally, bringing her usual charm and energy. Yet, despite King’s efforts, she can’t elevate Tally into a compelling protagonist. The script forces her into illogical actions, and her charisma can only do so much to compensate for the lackluster material. While the film’s message is about rejecting synthetic beauty, Uglies itself feels like just another forgettable product churned out for the masses.
Uglies is now available on Netflix.