The Ugly Stepsister puts evil spin on classic fairy tale
FAIRY tales have always had a dark side, but The Ugly Stepsister takes that idea, douses it in bleach, slaps on a tapeworm and drags it screaming into a grotesque new realm. Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt in her wildly confident feature debut, the film delivers a macabre, head-spinning take on the Cinderella mythos, one that is more scalpel than sparkle and more grotesque than glass slipper.
From the moment it premiered at Sundance's Midnight Section, this Nordic horror oddity made it abundantly clear: this is not your typical rags-to-riches story. Instead, it is a rags-to-ravaged-body tale wrapped in couture and soaked in commentary. Through a distinctly Scandinavian lens (and with a touch of wicked humour), The Ugly Stepsister satirises beauty standards and societal pressure with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel, a rusty one.
Metaphoric stab wounds
While the name Cinderella might conjure images of chirping birds and magical makeovers, The Ugly Stepsister drags those expectations into a back alley and stabs them repeatedly with metaphor. The story focuses on the oft-overlooked 'ugly' stepsister, placing her front and centre in a warped competition for the crown or rather, the prince's affection.
The brilliance lies in its commitment to the genre. Blichfeldt does not flinch. Where other horror-fairytale hybrids lean into fantasy or drama, this one gleefully dives into body horror. Think flesh, fluids and fashion stitched together in the name of so-called perfection. It is bold, it is grotesque and it is beautifully shot, almost annoyingly so, considering the subject matter often involves scenes that could make viewers dry heave.
That said, while the film is not afraid to cross lines, it does so with purpose. Every agonising transformation, every uncomfortable close-up, every squeamish moment has thematic weight. There is no gore for gore's sake, only a merciless dissection of what beauty costs, especially when society defines it for women.
For fans of Grimm, not Disney
To truly appreciate The Ugly Stepsister, one must approach it less like a Disney tribute and more like a Grimm Brothers séance. It channels the same brutal, unfiltered energy that once saw stepmothers mutilating their daughters' feet to force a fit. This film does not sanitise the horror of fairy tales, it reclaims it, reanimates it and throws glitter on the blood.
The narrative keeps its roots in the original structure but shifts perspective in a way that reframes the story completely. By centring the 'ugly' one, the film explores resentment, rivalry and identity with surprising emotional depth, while also indulging in some of the most viscerally upsetting visuals seen in recent genre cinema.
There is also a deeply effective feminist undercurrent here. It is a parable about the impossible standards imposed on women, especially within family structures and social hierarchies. That this message comes laced with horror-show surgery and surrealist fairytale sequences only makes it hit harder.
Unsettling, unapologetic and unexpectedly hilarious
For all its blood and bile, the film also boasts a streak of dark comedy that is impossible to ignore. Whether it is the absurdity of a beauty treatment gone awry or the twisted etiquette lessons dished out with a smile, there is a wicked humour baked into nearly every scene. The cast delivers these moments with deadpan precision, never once winking at the audience but always in full control of the absurdity.
Lead actress Lea Myren gives a gutsy, full-bodied performance that shifts from pitiable to terrifying with unnerving ease. The rest of the ensemble, including Thea Sofie Loch Næss and Ane Dahl Torp, handle the madness around them with a surreal kind of calm, elevating what could have been a grotesque freak show into a strangely poignant family drama.
And yes, while the makeup and prosthetics are Oscar-worthy in their own right, it is the emotional gut-punch beneath the gore that makes the film linger long after the credits roll.
Caution for the squeamish
Let it be said plainly: The Ugly Stepsister is not for the weak of stomach. There are sequences in this film that could cause spontaneous hair loss, not unlike the protagonist's own follicular misfortunes. Between twitch-inducing body horror and thematic discomfort, viewers prone to squeamish reactions may find themselves watching through splayed fingers if they can keep their eyes open at all.
Headache-inducing? Occasionally. Visually aggressive? Absolutely. But for fans of arthouse horror, feminist satire, or just good ol' disturbing cinema, it is a masterpiece of madness.
The Ugly Stepsister is a little bit messed up in all the right ways. It is a visual and psychological assault, but one that leaves its audience with more than just trauma, it leaves them with something to chew on. Twisted but thoughtful, gorgeous but grotesque and shockingly sincere beneath all the sludge, this film carves out a space for itself as one of 2025's most unforgettable horror debuts.
Anyone who has ever loved the original Grimm tales with their unapologetic cruelty and moral ambiguity will find something deliciously dark in Blichfeldt's warped vision. Just do not expect a happily ever after. Expect something better: a cautionary tale with blood under its nails and brains behind its madness.
DIRECTOR: Emilie Blichfeldt
CAST: Lea Myren, Ane Dahl Torp, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Isac Calmroth, Malte Gårdinger
E-VALUE: 8/10
PLOT: 8/10
ACTING: 8/10
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