Netflix’s new sci-fi movie will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Labyrinth

If you’re nostalgic for an era of dystopian teen blockbusters like Divergent, Hunger Games or Labyrinth, and looking for a new saga to sink your teeth into, Netflix just launched its preschool blockbuster online that fits in that vein.

Like the previously mentioned films, this new fiction is adapted from the famous literary series written by Scott Westerfeld and published in 2005, and may rely on familiar faces to the younger generation.

Netflix has the answer to sci-fi movies for teenagers

This is a long-standing project that took some time to compile and find a broadcaster. But Netflix has finally released Uglies, a dystopian drama written by Jacob Forman (Lawmen: The Bass Reeves Story), Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones, different) and Whit Anderson (Marvel’s Daredevil, Ozark), which should appeal to fans of the genre that was very popular in the 2010s.

Directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Renaissance), Ugly has a different starting premise than Divergent or the Hunger Games, as the youngsters don’t have challenges, fights or assassination tests, but physical modifications.

In the futuristic world of Ugly, resources have been depleted by humanity, leading to war and chaos. Scientists tried to save what was left of civilization and discovered a revolutionary renewable energy source, which unfortunately failed to stop the injustice and inequality of classes, genders, etc.

So a “miracle” solution was found: every 16-year-old is subjected to cosmetic surgery, every individual is considered ugly (ugly) from birth.

This physical enhancement allows everyone to be the most perfect version of themselves and find a place in society without discrimination based on age, appearance or personality.

In the world of the ugly, perfection would stop the conflicts and everyone would be healthy, happy and beautiful (Pretty). In this world, Tali and Peris, very close childhood friends, eagerly await their turn. If Peris succeeds in her transformation, Tali finds her operation delayed when her rebel friend Shay goes missing.

Would you do anything to be perfect?

District Governor Nyah Cable asks Tali to find Shay, who is believed to have been kidnapped by David, an enemy of the Perfect Society who has assembled a group of rebels willing to do anything to end the dictatorship of Perfection.

As with other films of the same genre, Uglies questions human nature, dictatorial rules, the power of the powerful, conspiracies, threats, and the values ​​and morals that are corrupted by control.

If Uglies lacks the charm of The Hunger Games or Divergent due to its overuse of crude special effects, it remains engaging in its subject matter and overall entertaining, well-crafted thanks to its respect for genre codes. Irony and effective action scenes.

The audience will be pleased to see familiar faces in the cast, such as Joey King (The Kissing Booth, Bullet Train, The Underworld), Chase Stokes (Outer Banks), Charmin Lee (The 5th Wave), Brian Tew (Remember Last Summer), Ian Luis Castellanos ( 13 Reasons Why) and Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black).

It remains to be seen if it will be a hit on Netflix, but if it is, the platform could hold its next big franchise, as sequels are possible considering it’s an adaptation of a hugely popular literary series.

The Ugly Movie is available on Netflix.