The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren)

The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira as she battles against her gorgeous stepsister in a realm where beauty reigns supreme. She resorts to extreme measures to captivate the prince, amidst a ruthless competition for physical perfection.

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Introduction

My brain was not ready for this one. Granted I never read any synopsis, summary or initial reviews prior to watching it, I was blown away when they slowly revealed Agnes’ new name, given by her stepmother. My eyes widened when I realized what the story was about. Directed by…

“The 2025 film tells a twisted version of the Cinderella fairytale from the perspective of Elvira, a stepsister who undergoes excruciating and gory cosmetic procedures, including swallowing a tapeworm, to compete against her beautiful stepsister for the prince’s attention. In the end, Elvira’s efforts prove futile and she ultimately chooses freedom over her toxic mother’s obsession with beauty and wealth.”

Characters

Lea Myren (as Elvira) gave me the exact same impression as Florence Pugh did in Midsommar (2019). Both of them I haven’t heard of until these films, and my oh my, they shoot straight up there in rankings in my book. A fantastic performance by Myren, and I love how her personality gradually shifts with every “change” of her. This was an example of perfect casting.

Thea Sofie Lock Naess (as Agnes/Cinderella) is another great casting. She did indeed look the part and very much reminded me of Lily James in Cinderella (2015). She was very graceful all throughout the movie and really reflected the character she was portraying.

Brothers Grimm adaptation

Majority of you surely have only known the Disney classic cartoon story but have never heard of the original from the Brothers Grimm “Aschenputtel” (Cinderella) released in 1812.

The Ugly Stepsister is not a direct adaptation but a reimagining of it from the stepsister’s point of view, focusing on the gruesome lengths to which characters go to achieve beauty. And yes, in the Brothers Grimm book, the stepsister really did cut off their toes to fit the slippers.

Storytelling

The way the story of The Ugly Stepsister was told is exactly how most of us knew it. But the catch is, everything is told and revolves around Elvira (one of the stepsisters). Its a fresh yet gruesome take on a childhood classic. I love how the film felt chopped up into separate acts whenever Elvira goes through a “change”.

Agnes, or rather Cinderella’s slow degradation was beautifully told. An A-class student in both academic and beauty, and a surefire hit for the upcoming ball with the prince. But then Elvira and her dreams got in the way, then came Agnes’ downfall.

Practical effects

Superb use of practical effects in The Ugly Stepsister. The gore scenes aren’t as messy as you’d think it would be, but the way they presented it reminded me of Audition (1999), very slow and presented clearly, it made my skin crawl every time a hammer was struck. It was gruesome yet showcased tastefully.

The eyelash scene was perfect.

Conclusion

The Ugly Stepsister is a great way to kick start body horror in 2025. The reimagining of the story was interesting. Everything was in place and well thought out. Definitely not for kids and strictly rated-R. Should you watch it? Of course! I highly recommend it.