Slanted
The brief
Amy Wang's sci-fi horror parable hits like a sledgehammer wrapped in prom dress satin, following a teen who literally changes her race to fit beauty standards. Shirley Chen delivers a fearless performance that shifts between heartbreaking vulnerability and chilling transformation, while the film maintains an unsettling tone that makes your skin crawl even during seemingly lighthearted high school moments. The body horror elements feel genuinely disturbing because they're rooted in such recognizable social pressures. Perfect for fans of Get Out or anyone who wants their dystopian sci-fi served with razor-sharp social commentary and zero subtlety.
The verdict
If you crave unsubtle social commentary wrapped in disturbing body horror and can handle sledgehammer messaging about beauty standards, this fearless sci-fi parable delivers exactly what it promises. If you prefer your dystopian themes with more finesse or can't stomach genuinely unsettling transformation sequences, the blunt approach and skin-crawling horror elements will likely turn you off.
Watch with
- 👥 Friends for post-film discussion
- 👤 Solo for deep reflection
- ⚠️ Avoid with those sensitive to racial themes
Heads up
- Graphic cosmetic surgery scenes (moderate)
- Racial identity transformation themes (frequent)
- Body horror and physical transformation (moderate)
- Teen social pressure and bullying (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Amy Wang
- Cast
- Shirley Chen, Mckenna Grace, Amelie Zilber, Vivian Wu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Fang Du, Elaine Hendrix
Official synopsis
'Joan Huang idolizes the popular girls and dreams of being prom queen, but fears the only way to win is to
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Perfect Blue (1998)
Both explore identity transformation and the psychological cost of appearance.
Total runtime: 1h 42m + 1h 22m = 3h 4m
