“How far would you go to be… just beautiful?” Girl, this film doesn’t just ask that… it ties your hair back, looks you dead in the eye, and dares you to answer.
The Ugly Stepsister is the wildest curveball of 2025… a gritty, gruesome reimagination of Cinderella from the “ugly” one’s POV. Directed by the gutsy Emilie Blichfeldt, it’s a blood-soaked critique of beauty obsession, social rot, and the twisted rituals we perform to be “seen.” And let me tell you…this isn’t just a film, it’s a cultural exorcism.
What’s Fierce (and Flawless):
Beauty Satire? On Point, Darling! This is THE film to show your friends when they say filters and fillers are “just a phase.” From mirror trauma to shaping heel hacks (literally), the commentary punches hard…mocking the myth of perfection with every drop of blood.
The horror doesn’t come from a monster under the bed… it comes from within, from that gnawing urge to fit into a fantasy we were never meant to survive. It’s a terrifyingly accurate mirror to our 2025 beauty-obsessed world.
Performances: Slay All Day!
Lea Myren? Baby, she devoured this role. Her portrayal of Elvira is haunting… it’s pain, envy, longing, and collapse all rolled into one. She doesn’t act; she bleeds the character. And the rest of the cast? They show up and show out, each performance tightening the noose of this tragic fairy tale until you’re breathless. Honestly, the raw emotions hit so hard I had to pause, clutch my pearls, and scream into a pillow.
Production & Design: Period Drama but Make It Horror Couture
Visually, this is a serving. Gowns that twirl into shadows, candle-lit dread dripping with elegance, and a world soaked in muted menace. The cinematography, costume design, and color palette…all scream “beautiful decay.” The gore isn’t cartoonish; it’s ceremonial. This isn’t horror for jumpscares…it’s horror for the aesthetic agony. And baby, it’s giving vintage trauma with a crown.
What’s a Bit Meh
Pacing: C’mon Girl, Move It Along! Listen, I love a slow burn. But there were moments when I wanted to shake the screen and yell, “Let’s go, queen!” Some scenes linger longer than necessary, and not always in a poetic way. The tension is thick, yes…but it simmers so long, you might start boiling water in real life. A little tighter editing, and this could’ve been a full knockout.
Character Likability: Cold as a Mirror’s Kiss
You won’t find heroes here… only people clawing their way through a world of illusions. At times, it’s hard to connect, because everyone’s just a little… tragic. But maybe that’s the brilliance of it… there’s no savior, no “chosen one,” just deeply flawed folks reflecting our own fractured reflections. Still, a touch more empathy could’ve added layers, because my heart wanted to ache, not just observe.
Derivative Moments: We’ve Seen Her Before, Babe.
There are moments when the originality stumbles. Some visual motifs feel like love letters, too. The Neon Demon or Suspiria, but the mash-up doesn’t always blend seamlessly. A few concept threads felt too familiar…like someone else already walked that runway. Still, the boldness in trying earns major props.
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Is It Worth Watching?
Absolutely, yes. If you’re someone who’s ever felt not “enough,” who’s stared at someone else’s highlight reel and wondered “why not me?”, this film is for you.
It’s not just horror… it’s social commentary carved into skin. It’ll make you uncomfortable. It’ll make you think. And most of all, it’ll make you feel seen…in the most brutal, cathartic way.
Watching The Ugly Stepsister is like sipping beauty serum laced with broken glass… sweet on the tongue, but it cuts all the way down. A must-watch for every girl who ever bled for approval. It’s not just a film; it’s a funeral for fairytales…and honey, I’m lighting the match. Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who’s the ugliest of them all? Cinderella? Elvira or… Society.
Rating: 8.5/10 ⭐
Written By MANSI SINGH