Netflix's "Uglies" may have snatched the No.1 spot as soon as it landed on the streamer, but for many viewers (including me), it unfortunately lives up to its name. While the movie, based on the popular novel, explores a fascinating dystopian world where beauty comes at a price, its execution leaves much to be desired.
"Uglies" is set in a future society where everyone undergoes mandatory cosmetic surgery at age 16 to become "pretty." The protagonist, Tally Youngblood (Joey King), is on the verge of her transformation when she discovers a rebellious group of people who reject the procedure and choose to remain "ugly." As Tally learns more about this mysterious group, she begins to question society's values and her role within it.
Luckily, if you’re searching for better alternatives that dive into the dystopian sci-fi genre, we’ve got you covered. Here are the five best movies like "Uglies" (but better) available on some of the best streaming services.
'The Hunger Games' (2012)
I had to start this list off strong with one of the best dystopian movies out there. "The Hunger Games" is set in a future society called Panem, where the Capitol controls 12 districts. Each year, two "tributes" from each district are forced to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. The story follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers in place of her sister and becomes a symbol of rebellion against the Capitol’s oppressive regime.
While "Uglies" focuses more on physical alteration and beauty, "The Hunger Games" is centered around survival and political resistance. Still, they both explore how oppressive societies can manipulate and control individuals. I would also highly recommend watching the entire "Hunger Games" franchise because it's just so good.
Buy or rent on Amazon
'What Happened to Monday' (2017)
![What Happened to Monday | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hOiWSWLt-NA/maxresdefault.jpg)
For something a little more serious and harrowing, you can stream "What Happened to Monday." It’s not a young-adult flick, but it does delve deep into the dystopian sci-fi genre.
The story is set in a future where overpopulation and resource scarcity lead to a strict one-child policy. You’ll follow seven identical sisters (played by Noomi Rapace), who live in hiding, pretending to be one person in public. Each sister is named after a day of the week and only leaves the house on their designated day. When one sister named Monday disappears, the others must solve the mystery while keeping their existence secret.
"What Happened to Monday" leans more towards action and thriller, while "Uglies" is less about action and more about world-building — though it doesn’t do a great job at it.
Watch on Netflix
'Ready Player One' (2018)
![READY PLAYER ONE - Official Trailer 1 [HD] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cSp1dM2Vj48/maxresdefault.jpg)
"Ready Player One" focuses on a dystopian future where most people escape their harsh reality by entering the OASIS, a vast virtual reality universe. The movie follows Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), a teenager who goes on a quest to find an Easter egg hidden in the OASIS by its creator, James Halliday (Mark Rylance). Whoever finds the egg gains control of the OASIS and its wealth. Wade faces dangerous competitors and corporate forces that want to seize control of the virtual world for their own benefit.
Of course, if you’ve seen "Uglies", you’ll know that people undergo surgery to conform to societal standards of beauty. "Ready Player One" on the other hand allows people to escape into the OASIS to reshape their identities and experience an idealized world. Both stories especially highlight the tension between the real and the artificial.
Watch on Hulu
'Never Let Me Go' (2010)
"Never Let Me Go" is a dystopian drama based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. The story is set in an alternate reality where humans clone children to harvest their organs for medical purposes. The movie follows three friends — Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield), and Ruth (Keira Knightley) — who grow up in a seemingly idyllic boarding school, unaware that they are clones destined to donate their organs.
In "Never Let Me Go", the clones are raised to provide organs, while in "Uglies," people undergo mandatory surgeries to conform to societal beauty standards. Both movies raise questions about identity, humanity and the loss of personal freedom. However, I would recommend watching the former instead (obviously).
Buy or rent on Amazon
'The Maze Runner' (2014)
![The Maze Runner | Official Final Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AwwbhhjQ9Xk/maxresdefault.jpg)
"The Maze Runner" follows the story of a teenage boy named Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), who wakes up in a mysterious, enclosed area called "The Glade" with no memory of how he got there. The Glade is surrounded by a massive, ever-changing maze filled with deadly creatures called Grievers. A group of boys, who also have no memory of their past, live in the Glade and have formed a small community.
The boys work together to try to find a way out of the maze, which requires navigating it during the day when the doors are open. Each night, the maze changes and anyone caught inside is unlikely to survive. Much like "Uglies", this movie takes place in a society where characters are confined by strict rules. However, "The Maze Runner" is much more entertaining, and the following two sequels are worth a watch too.
Buy or rent on Amazon
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