We open on a world bathed in concrete gray.
And it isnt just a frame-by-frame redux of some of the most disappointing aspects of the category.
The story follows Tally Youngblood (Joey King), a girl on the cusp of 16.
Joey King as Tally in ‘Uglies.‘Brian Douglas/Netflix
She feels hideous, but its not her fault.
All she has to do is turn the outlaws in, and shell finally be Pretty.
(The only bright spot is an inspired performance from Tju as the rebellious Shay.)
But the films glaring lack of imagination doesnt lie in its source material.
But in her eyes, every single famous person isnt beautiful.
Its an unexpected twist that in this new culture, beauty isnt just about poreless skin and taut features.
To be pretty in this dystopia means becoming monstrous.
(Stokes and King each helm their ownNetflixseries.
And every single one has been criticized for failing to live up to the inspired world of its predecessor.
But animation can operate in the gaps where live action fails.
Artists can render a story not bound by the laws of filming real people in the real world.
Yes, with enough time and money, VFX can create incredible spectacles.
One of animations biggest strengths also lies in the way it can convey emotion as a physical presence.
The best YA books get and stay popular because of the space for imagination they leave their readers.
They are limitless stories with challenging social systems and captivating universes.
And with every new generation, the young adult books that define them get more and more inventive.
And so do viewers.
