The Ugly Stepsister is set to terrify audiences with its “stomach-churning” Norwegian body-horror, now slated for release. Helmed by Emilie Blichfeldt, the film stars Lea Myren, best known as Maya from NRK’s Jenter.
Joining her are Thea Sofie Loch Naess of The Last Kingdom fame, and Ane Dahl Torp from The Wave. Screenrant has given the flick an impressive eight out of ten rating.
Autostraddle hailed it as “one of the best horror films of the decade so far”, while ScreenDaily praised it as “a stylish, graphic fairytale riff”. The movie hits US screens on April 18 and UK theatres on April 25.
Delving into the darker side of fairy tales, The Ugly Stepsister pays tribute to Charles Perrault’s Cinderella with a twisted and macabre twist.
The plot centres on Elvira (Lea Myren), who is fixated on winning over a charming prince and securing her own fairytale ending. Overshadowed by her gorgeous stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Naess), Elvira is determined to achieve her desires at any cost in a realm where beauty reigns supreme.
Critics have hailed the film since its festival circuit, with accolades from Inverse calling it “The Substance for Disney adults” and Bloody Disgusting praising it as “elegant, stylish, and gnarly”.
As of March 25, the movie boasts an impressive 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
A newly dropped trailer poses a thought-provoking question to viewers about the feeling of being “inferior and unworthy”.
The footage then unfolds Elvira’s struggle to meet her family’s harsh demands, enduring intense trials.
Finally fed up, Elvira lashes out against her kin in outrageously violent and shocking fashion.
Vertigo Releasing unveiled the trailer, punctuating it with the line: “In a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes to become the belle of the ball.”
Sundance offered insights into the flick, saying: “This macabre yet humorous film critiques the beauty industry, which promotes body image as a pathway to desirability, success, and social status.”
They empathetically noted, “Despite her insecurity, we sympathize with Elvira as she becomes entangled in her greedy mother’s extreme beautification scheme, driven by a desire for acceptance and a happily-ever-after.”
The Ugly Stepsister airs in the US from April 18 and the UK in April 25