Uglies movie storyline. In the future, the world has fallen into chaos after exhausting all natural resources. To keep humanity alive, scientists first create genetically modified orchids that are a new energy source, and second, a surgical procedure to make people pretty; this way, everyone’s perfection will not cause any further chaos. The surgery is performed on “Uglies” when they are 16 before allowing them to go to the city where celebrations occur among the “Pretties”.
Tally and her best friend Peris are Uglies, but Peris, being three months older, leaves for his surgery first. The two share scars on their hands, which they vow to keep despite the Pretty procedure. They also promise to remain friends and meet again after their procedures.
Tally, anxious to see Peris again, sneaks into the city. She is shocked by his appearance and his different personality. The scar they vowed to keep is gone. When Tally is discovered, she is chased by the Wardens back to the Uglies’ dormitories. Later, she befriends Shay, a rebellious Ugly who tells her about “The Smoke,” a land of freedom in tune with nature. Shay encourages Tally to join her, rejects the surgery, and seeks out The Smoke and its leader, David. Tally refuses.
On her 16th birthday, Tally is denied her procedure until she tells Dr. Cable, the operations leader, where Shay is. She is told that David is dangerous, will hurt Shay, and that he is also building a weapon to destroy the city. Tally is sent as a spy into The Smoke, reunites with Shay, and meets David.
As she begins to grow close with David, he and his family reveal the truth about the surgeries: they limit human brain capacity, so the Pretties are easily controlled. A select few are given a cure to become the scientists surrounding the scheme. David’s parents worked as some of those scientists until they discovered the truth and fled. Ever since, they have been working to develop the cure.
Tally also learns that the orchid energy source is toxic to nature, so The Smoke rebels set them on fire to wipe them out. Tally and David share a moment, and she tosses her tracker into the fire after renouncing the system and rejecting her chance to become a Pretty.
Her active tracker signals Dr Cable, who arrives with troops to round up the rebels. Peris, modified to be a near-invincible soldier, kills David’s father, and Tally is discovered to be the traitor. Still, she convinces David to take her with him to free the captured rebels, who are held in a lab facility.
Uglies is a 2024 American science fiction drama film directed by McG and written by Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson. Based on the novel of the same name by Scott Westerfeld, the plot centers around a future post-apocalyptic dystopian society in which people are considered “ugly” until they become “pretty” by enduring extensive cosmetic surgery at the age of 16. The film stars Joey King, Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju, Jan Luis Castellanos, Charmin Lee, and Laverne Cox.
Uglies was released on Netflix on September 13, 2024. The film amassed 20 million views in its first three days (September 13–15). In September 2024, author Scott Westerfeld expressed interest in the realization of sequel movies. Confirming the potential for an ongoing film series, the author stated that adaptations of the Uglies and its follow-up series Imposters are optioned to the associated studios.
Uglies (2024)
Directed by: McG
Starring: Joey King, Luke Eisner, Laverne Cox, Chase Stokes, Jillian Murray, Brianne Tju, Keith Powers, Kevin Miles, Robert Palmer Watkins, Kelly Gale, Lindsay Rootare, Andzelika Bobrova
Screenplay by: Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, Whit Anderson
Production Design by: John Collins
Cinematography by: Xiaolong Liu
Film Editing by: Martin Bernfeld, Brad Besser
Costume Design by: Cris Araujo
Set Decoration by: Lynne Mitchell, Kat Wilson
Art Direction by: Kevin Houlihan, Kristen Sherwin
Music by: Edward Shearmur
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Netflix
Release Date: September 12, 2024
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