Despite receiving a less than stellar score on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix’s adaptation of the novel Uglies has surged to the top of its movie chart.
Netflix continues to impress with its ability to deliver captivating movies, with Uglies, a teen book-to-movie adaptation, catching the public’s attention.
Unlike its original films like The Deliverance and Rebel Ridge, Uglies has not garnered universal acclaim, as numerous viewers expressed disappointment in the film’s execution.
Despite a staggering 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, Uglies has established itself as the second most popular movie on Netflix.
Uglies is based on Scott Westerfeld’s 2005 novel of the same name, featuring a 16-year-old girl named Tally who resides in a society where everyone undergoes a surgical procedure to become “Pretties.”
The government mandates this physical and mental transformation, aiming for everyone to conform to a singular standard of beauty.
The book promotes the concept of inner beauty and the importance of self-acceptance. While the movie attempted to capture this message, many viewers felt it fell short, contributing to its low critic ratings.
One viewer described the film as “dreadful and almost unwatchable,” stating, “Maybe the books are better, but this was just awful on all fronts. Stay away from it for your own good,” posted on X/Twitter.
Another viewer commented, “Either Uglies is just not for me, or this is a truly horrendous film. It makes Divergent look good, which is astounding.”
A third viewer remarked, “Uglies would’ve been an absolute hit in the early 2000s. The script is awkward and the social commentary is stale. I wish they took bigger risks and updated the source material.”
A significant criticism from audiences revolved around the casting of the main actors (Joey King, Brianne Tju, Keith Powers, and Chase Stokes), who are conventionally attractive, in roles intended to portray ugliness.
However, one fan noted that the actors’ good looks actually reinforce the film’s intended message, stating, “none of them are supposed to be ugly. The whole point is that they were told that they needed to look a certain way to be beautiful, it’s not reality.” Watch #Uglies.
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