Uglies is one of those movies where the concept sounds way more interesting than the actual execution. A dystopian future where teenagers are forced into cosmetic surgery to become “pretty”?

I started watching this movie with an open mind, but after 90 minutes, I was left wondering why I even bothered. With McG at the directing and Joey King in the leading role, Netflix’s Uglies could’ve been something different in the young adult dystopian genre, but it ended up being a mess of predictable tropes and poor character development.

The movie plot needed its own makeover. In the future, society has decided that in order to maintain peace and order, everyone needs to look the same. So when kids turn 16, they get an extreme makeover—one that turns them into a “Pretty.” But of course, there’s a resistance to this shallow idea, and our main character, Tally (Joey King), ends up getting caught between conforming to society’s expectations or rebelling against them.

Now, the plot had potential. It really did. The idea of fighting back against a society obsessed with looks is relevant, especially with today’s beauty-obsessed culture. But Uglies never quite nails the message. Instead, it meanders through dull character arcs and predictable plot twists.

Joey King deserves better. She’s an incredible actress; there’s no denying that. She’s proven it time and time again, from The Kissing Booth to The Act, but here? She’s stuck with a character that’s as flat as a pancake. Tally could’ve been a strong, relatable protagonist—a girl wrestling with the conflict between fitting in and standing out. Instead, she’s just kind of… there. She makes decisions; things happen, but there’s no real emotional punch behind her choices. You don’t root for Tally because you never really get to know her.

The supporting cast doesn’t fare much better. Keith Powers as David, the rebellious love interest, feels like he wandered off the set of a CW show. There’s no chemistry between him and Tally. Their love connection failed to blossom. His character is so one-dimensional that it’s hard to care about their supposed “connection.” Brianne Tju as Shay, the rebellious best friend, has a little more spark, but even her character falls into the same trap of underdevelopment. Laverne Cox is such a talented actress, but as Dr. Cable, she’s reduced to playing the generic villain who thinks that the world is better off in their hands.

The dystopian world feels like a cheap knockoff. Dystopian movies thrive on world-building. The best of them—like The Hunger Games or Divergent—create societies that are both fascinating and terrifying. Uglies tries to do this, but it feels like lazy copy-and-paste of better films.

For a Netflix movie, you’d expect a certain level of polish, but Uglies looks like it was made on a shoestring budget. The CGI is laughable at times, especially when it comes to the orchid energy source that’s supposedly draining the planet’s natural resources. It’s hard to take the film seriously when everything looks so cheap.

At its core, Uglies wants to tackle some pretty big themes: beauty obsession, conformity, and the power of individual choice. But it never fully commits to any of them. The movie tries to make a statement about how society’s obsession with perfection can rob us of our individuality, but it does so in the most heavy-handed way possible.

For example, Tally’s decision to undergo the surgery to “test” the cure should’ve been a powerful moment, but it’s so rushed and poorly explained that it just feels like a plot device. There’s no real exploration of how the surgery affects her, mentally or emotionally. I guess that’s what it means to end a movie on a cliffhanger. With her keeping the scar on her hand, it clearly set up for a sequel, but don’t hold your breath; it’s Netflix after all. But honestly, who’s sticking around for Uglies 2?

Uglies is a disappointing, shallow adaptation. Despite themes relevant in today’s culture and a talented cast, the plot is predictable, with characters needing more development. If you’re looking for a dystopian film with heart, rewatch The Hunger Games. Uglies might be pretty on the outside, but on the inside, it’s as hollow as they come.