The recently released “Uglies” movie, based on Scott Westerfeld’s bestselling novel of the same name, has sparked controversy amongst audiences and film critics alike. 

Starring Joey King as Tally Youngblood, the story centers on a fifteen-year-old girl who eagerly anticipates her sixteenth birthday, the age at which she will undergo a surgery to become “pretty.” Set in a dystopian society where beauty is everything, both the film and the book explore the stark divide between the “Uglies,” those who have yet to undergo the surgery and are deemed unattractive by established standards, and the “Pretties,” who conform to society’s harsh beauty standards. 

While the book effectively conveys the central theme that beauty isn’t everything, the film does not end up capturing the emotional depth and complexity of the characters in the same way as the novel. 

One of the critical relationships in the plot line is between Tally and her friend Shay, played by Brianne Tju. Shay questions the societal norms that dictate the importance of physical appearance. She is a pivotal character in Tally’s journey of self-discovery, along with her own questioning about the way people are being treated in this society. 

While the movie attempts to display the girls’ internal conflict, it falls short in developing both Tally and Shay’s viewpoints. Their characters are poorly defined, and if viewers were to have only watched the movie and not read the book, they would be unable to truly empathize with either of these characters. 

Along with the lack of character development, the movie also feels incredibly rushed, as if the time constraint left important concepts about the world in which Tally and Shay live unexplained. For viewers unfamiliar with the book, understanding the intricacies of this dystopian community would likely prove to be challenging. For example, the film jumps straight into the plot without offering essential background information crucial for true comprehension. 

Despite these shortcomings, the film is visually stunning; the cinematography, sound effects and overall production quality are impressive and well thought out. While watching, I did not feel as though I wasted an hour and forty-two minutes of my life. The film concludes with a clear cliffhanger, suggesting the potential for a sequel, based on the “Uglies” series. Having loved reading the “Uglies” book, I am hopeful that a second movie will live up to my expectations and expand on the first movie with additional depth and details. 

While the “Uglies” movie is a strong film on its own, a lack of connection to the book it’s based on causes the plot line to miss the mark.