Uglies

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4 / 10
1 Review
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Overview

In a futuristic dystopia with enforced beauty standards, a teen awaiting mandatory cosmetic surgery embarks on a journey to find her missing friend.

Media

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Uglies | Official Trailer | Netflix

Cast

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Actor Avatar
Joey King
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Brianne Tju
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Laverne Cox
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Chase Stokes
Director:
McG
Writer:
Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, Whit Anderson, Scott Westerfeld
Release Date:
2024-09-12
Run Time:
100m
Tagline:
In a world of extreme beauty, anyone normal is ugly.
Genres:
Action Adventure Science Fiction
Keywords:
absurd based on young adult novel beauty standards cliché cosmetic surgery dystopia missing friend teenager
Financials and Popularity

Budget: Not Declared $

Revenue: Not Declared $

Vote Average: 5.7/10

Vote Count: 920 Votes

Movie Popularity: 3.9424

Spoken Languages: English

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    4 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 4/10 THE SUMMARY In a post-apocalyptic future, everyone is born "Ugly" and must undergo mandatory plastic surgery at sixteen to become a "Pretty." Tally Youngblood (Joey King) is counting down the days until her transformation, but when her friend escapes to join a rebel group called the Smoke, Tally is forced into a dangerous mission by the authorities. She has to find the rebels and lead the city to them, or risk never being made Pretty. As she discovers the truth behind the procedure, she has to decide if being perfect is worth losing her identity. THE PROS The film has a decent visual shine to it, and some of the futuristic tech, like the hoverboards, provides a few fun action sequences. It hits a 4 because Joey King gives an honest, earnest performance as Tally, trying her best to sell the emotional weight of a world that feels a bit like a throwback to the 2010s YA craze. There are some gritty, interesting ideas buried in the plot about societal control and the obsession with beauty standards, which are fair shouts for a modern audience. It’s an easy watch if you’re looking for something light that doesn't require much brain power. THE CONS It stays at a 4 because it feels about ten years too late. The "dystopian teen" genre has been done to death, and this version doesn't add anything new to the mix, often feeling like a remix of 'Divergent' or 'The Hunger Games'. It misses a higher mark because the world-building is a bit thin; the city looks like a generic CGI landscape, and the logic behind the "Uglies" vs "Pretties" is never fully fleshed out beyond surface-level aesthetics. The pacing can feel a bit rushed, especially in the final act, leaving the transition from "loyal citizen" to "rebel leader" feeling unearned and a bit of a "head scratcher." THE VERDICT 4/10. An honest attempt at reviving the YA dystopian genre that ultimately falls flat. It’s a bit of a middle-of-the-road experience that will likely appeal to younger fans of the book series but lacks the grit and depth to stand out as an epic. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • The film is based on the 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld, which was actually one of the books that originally sparked the massive interest in dystopian teen fiction long before 'The Hunger Games' movie. • Joey King was a massive fan of the book series growing up and spent years actively pursuing the role of Tally, eventually becoming an executive producer to help get the project off the ground. • Director McG utilized several unique filming locations and digital sets to create the contrast between the sterile, perfect city and the raw, overgrown nature of the "Smoke" rebel camp. THE VIBE Like a filter on a photo that’s been over-edited. It smells of expensive perfume, clean glass, and the metallic tang of a high-speed hoverboard.

Videos

Uglies | Official Trailer | Netflix

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Uglies

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 4/10

    THE SUMMARY
    In a post-apocalyptic future, everyone is born “Ugly” and must undergo mandatory plastic surgery at sixteen to become a “Pretty.” Tally Youngblood (Joey King) is counting down the days until her transformation, but when her friend escapes to join a rebel group called the Smoke, Tally is forced into a dangerous mission by the authorities. She has to find the rebels and lead the city to them, or risk never being made Pretty. As she discovers the truth behind the procedure, she has to decide if being perfect is worth losing her identity.

    THE PROS
    The film has a decent visual shine to it, and some of the futuristic tech, like the hoverboards, provides a few fun action sequences. It hits a 4 because Joey King gives an honest, earnest performance as Tally, trying her best to sell the emotional weight of a world that feels a bit like a throwback to the 2010s YA craze. There are some gritty, interesting ideas buried in the plot about societal control and the obsession with beauty standards, which are fair shouts for a modern audience. It’s an easy watch if you’re looking for something light that doesn’t require much brain power.

    THE CONS
    It stays at a 4 because it feels about ten years too late. The “dystopian teen” genre has been done to death, and this version doesn’t add anything new to the mix, often feeling like a remix of ‘Divergent’ or ‘The Hunger Games’. It misses a higher mark because the world-building is a bit thin; the city looks like a generic CGI landscape, and the logic behind the “Uglies” vs “Pretties” is never fully fleshed out beyond surface-level aesthetics. The pacing can feel a bit rushed, especially in the final act, leaving the transition from “loyal citizen” to “rebel leader” feeling unearned and a bit of a “head scratcher.”

    THE VERDICT
    4/10. An honest attempt at reviving the YA dystopian genre that ultimately falls flat. It’s a bit of a middle-of-the-road experience that will likely appeal to younger fans of the book series but lacks the grit and depth to stand out as an epic.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
    • The film is based on the 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld, which was actually one of the books that originally sparked the massive interest in dystopian teen fiction long before ‘The Hunger Games’ movie.

    • Joey King was a massive fan of the book series growing up and spent years actively pursuing the role of Tally, eventually becoming an executive producer to help get the project off the ground.

    • Director McG utilized several unique filming locations and digital sets to create the contrast between the sterile, perfect city and the raw, overgrown nature of the “Smoke” rebel camp.

    THE VIBE
    Like a filter on a photo that’s been over-edited. It smells of expensive perfume, clean glass, and the metallic tang of a high-speed hoverboard.

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