Uglies’ Review: Beauty in a Dystopian World

Uglies’ Review: Beauty in a Dystopian World

In Uglies, Joey King steps into the shoes of Tally Youngblood, a teenager navigating a world where cosmetic surgery is seen as the solution to all social problems. Based on Scott Westerfeld's young adult novel, the film presents a dystopian future where at the age of 16, everyone undergoes surgery to become "pretty." This society believes that physical beauty is the key to ending inequality and conflict.

The concept of beauty in this world is unsettlingly uniform — think of the overly perfected, smooth faces often seen on social media platforms like Instagram. Bright eyes, plump cheeks, and flawless skin are the standard. Before her transformation, Tally eagerly looks forward to becoming part of the "pretty" world. She can't wait to leave behind what she sees as the horrors of aging, exclaiming, "Becoming moldy and crinkly? That goes against everything we’ve been taught!"

While the movie is based on a book from the early 2000s, the message it carries still rings true in today's world. The original Uglies novel was first optioned for adaptation in 2006, right as dystopian young adult stories like The Hunger Games and Divergent were gaining popularity. However, in the years since, the genre has somewhat faded from the spotlight, and many of the book's original fans are now older and may even relate to Tally's fears of aging.

But despite the book’s age, the film offers a timely reflection on modern society's obsession with cosmetic surgery and perfection. In our current world, achieving a certain level of beauty has become almost a rite of passage for many influencers and public figures. This might have influenced the film’s writers (Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson) and director Joseph McGinty Nichol, also known as McG. You can almost imagine a character like Kris Jenner playing a role similar to that of Dr. Cable, portrayed by Laverne Cox, who oversees the world of the "pretties." Dr. Cable, with her controlling, authoritarian demeanor, is responsible for ensuring that everyone follows the societal norms of beauty.

To appeal to today’s younger generation, McG has created a digital world that’s both visually stunning and strangely off-putting. The city is lit up with neon lights, and there are constant fireworks, making the world feel simultaneously extravagant and fake. The movie’s aesthetics sometimes make it hard to tell whether the film is being overly serious or just embracing its own artificiality.

Joey King brings a strong performance as Tally, a character who starts off excited about the surgery but begins to question the system she’s been taught to trust. Her portrayal of Tally is convincing and emotional, even when the movie’s plot doesn’t always give her the depth she deserves. Alongside King, Keith Powers and Chase Stokes play her love interests, while Brianne Tju takes on the role of Shay, a rebellious hoverboarder who is part of a resistance group. Shay dreams of joining an off-the-grid community of people who reject the idea of surgery. This group, inspired by the works of Thoreau, seeks fulfillment through nature and self-acceptance rather than artificial beauty. However, the irony here is that even the rebels look picture-perfect, naturally telegenic despite their rejection of cosmetic enhancements.

The film’s themes of beauty and identity are relevant in today’s world, where social media and influencer culture often promote unrealistic standards of beauty. Yet, Uglies struggles to fully develop these ideas, and at times, it feels like the film is more focused on its dazzling visuals than on exploring the deeper issues at play.

Uglies is rated PG-13 for some violence and brief strong language. With a running time of one hour and 40 minutes, it’s available to stream on Netflix. While it may not reach the heights of other dystopian films, Uglies provides a thought-provoking take on the lengths society will go to in pursuit of beauty — even if it means losing what makes us truly unique.