Story
In a post-apocalyptic world, people are divided into the Pretties and the Uglies. When people turn 16, they a life-changing procedure called the Pretty operation. This turns people into their most perfect selves.
Tally (Joey King) is 3 months away from her surgery. When close friend Peris (Chase Stokes) leaves for his transformation, they agree to meet a month later. When he doesn’t show up, Tally sneaks into the city of the Pretties to find him. The city surveillance almost catches her, but she is saved by Shay (Brianna Tju). Shay is rebellious and doesn’t believe in the miracle of becoming Pretty. On the eve of their Pretty operation, Shay leaves for The Smoke, a camp where runaways can go to avoid becoming Pretty. Shay urges Tally to go too, but Tally refuses.
On the day of her procedure, Tally is taken away by the Pretty government and questioned by Dr Cable (Laverne Cox) about Shay’s location. Dr Cable tells Tally about The Smoke and their dangerous rebel leader, David (Keith Powers). Dr Cable sends Tally on a mission to infiltrate The Smoke, save Shay and destroy their secret weapon.
Tally meets David on her journey to The Smoke, and he teaches her about their alternative lifestyle and the lies the Pretty government has been telling its citizens. Realising that the government is evil, Tally abandons her mission. But the Pretty government finds The Smoke and captures the rebels. Tally and David escape and infiltrate the city to save their friends. The story ends on a cliffhanger when Tally is captured by the Pretties.
Themes
Crime; death; family breakdown; natural disaster; authoritarianism; body modification; class separation
Violence
Uglies has some violence. For example:
- A young Peris grabs a glass electronic display from Tally and smashes it on the ground. It shatters and a piece of the glass impales the palm of Peris’ hand, causing it to bleed. Tally then cuts her own hand with a shard of glass so that they have matching wounds.
- The Super Pretties attack The Smoke, assaulting the rebels as they invade the camp.
- Peris snaps the neck of David’s father.
- Tally rigs an explosion that knocks back a Super Pretty.
- Tally shoots a Super Pretty in the neck with a crossbow.
- David holds a knife to Tally’s throat while questioning her.
- David assaults a Pretty while infiltrating the city.
- A rebel uses a flamethrower mounted in a helicopter to attack Dr Cable and Peris.
- David and Peris fight in hand-to-hand combat, ending with Peris falling off a skyscraper.
Sexual references
There are no sexual references in Uglies.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
There’s no use of substances in Uglies.
Nudity and sexual activity
Uglies has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Tally sees David shirtless and washing himself in a lake.
- David and Tally kiss.
- Shay wears a dress that shows cleavage.
Product placement
There’s no product placement in Uglies.
Coarse language
There’s no coarse language in Uglies.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Uglies is a dystopian science fiction movie based on the novel of the same name by Scott Westerfeld. It’s a coming-of-age story that comments both on contemporary beauty standards and authoritarian government.
Uglies has frequent violence, death and mature themes, so it’s best suited to viewers aged 15 and older. We recommend parental guidance for viewers aged 12-14 years.
The main message from Uglies is that beauty doesn’t define your identity. Your value comes from who you are inside, not from what you look like.
Values in Uglies you could reinforce with your children include self-identity, friendship, humanity, teamwork and courage.
Uglies could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life consequences of:
- unrealistic beauty standards
- authoritarianism and class separation
- medical experimentation.