In early 2025, a haunting new horror movie from Norway has captivated audiences and critics alike. The Ugly Stepsister, a satirical psychological thriller now streaming on Amazon Prime, has taken the film world by storm with its grotesque imagery, feminist commentary, and brutal body horror—all wrapped in a deeply unsettling reinterpretation of the Cinderella fairytale.
Marking the directorial debut of Emilie Blichfeldt, The Ugly Stepsister flips the classic narrative on its head, telling the story not through Cinderella’s eyes, but through those of her stepsister Elvira. In a desperate attempt to win the affection of a prince, Elvira competes with her beautiful sibling in a harrowing race toward physical perfection, spiraling into a world of self-destruction and psychological decay.
“If The Substance turned it up to 11, The Ugly Stepsister clocks in at a solid 10,” wrote one reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes, referencing the Oscar-winning body horror film by Coralie Fargeat.
As the story unfolds, viewers are exposed to disturbing sequences involving plastic surgery and self-harm, including a grotesque scene where one sister ingests a tapeworm to lose weight. Elvira’s descent into malnutrition and mental instability is punctuated by the looming royal ball—a grotesque parody of the original fairy tale’s climax.
Blichfeldt, who also penned the screenplay, has received widespread praise for her sharp, uncompromising vision. Her storytelling is lean and unsparing, making effective use of horror to criticize societal beauty standards and patriarchal expectations. The result is a powerful blend of psychological thriller and satire that leaves a lasting impression.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to strong acclaim. It stars Norwegian talents Lea Myren and Thea Sofie Loch Næss as the rival stepsisters. Their intense, emotionally raw performances are drawing praise across the board, with many calling them a “breath of fresh air” in a saturated market of horror clichés.
Cinematographer Marcel Zyskind’s work adds a chilling layer to the experience, enveloping the narrative in an atmosphere of bleak, arctic dread. The synth-heavy score, reminiscent of 1980s dark fantasy films, heightens the mood, drawing parallels to the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and the more sanitized Disney classic.
Reviewers have not minced words in their appraisal:
“Highly enjoyed the hell out of this and really admired the heartbreaking, twisted, dark take by director Emilie Blichfeldt on the legendary Cinderella story with a different psychological horror perspective from the evil stepsister,” reads one review quoted by Mirror US.
“This film is a wild ride! A dark, twisted take on the Cinderella story that dives deep into themes of beauty and envy. The body horror elements are intense, and the performances are top-notch. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re into psychological horror with a fairy tale twist, this one’s for you.”
The success of The Ugly Stepsister is also contributing to larger conversations about the evolving film industry, especially regarding the rise of women filmmakers in horror. Blichfeldt’s debut places her among a growing group of female directors pushing the boundaries of genre storytelling.
For fans of scary movie subversions and psychologically driven narratives, The Ugly Stepsister is more than just a reimagined fairy tale—it’s a brutal critique of modern beauty culture, and a bold new entry in contemporary horror.
