Review: The Ugly Stepsister

27 August, 2025 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 1 category

Title: The Ugly Stepsister
MPA Rating: Unrated
Director: Emilie Blichfeldt
Starring: Lea Myren, Ane Dahl Torp, Thea Sofie Loch Næss
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

What It Is: Elvira (Myren) and her sister Alma (Flo Fagerli) are now living with their new stepfamily. Among them is Agnes (Næss)—young, beautiful, and everything that the frumpy Elvira is not. With a grand ball approaching at the castle of the rich and handsome prince, Elvira and her mother Rebekka (Torp) devise a plan to ensure Elvira becomes the prince’s choice—by any means necessary.

This is the twisted tale of Cinderella and her stepsisters, retold in the most Scandinavian way imaginable.

What We Think: This is a horrifying portrayal of the classic story of Ashputtel, as it’s called in the Brothers Grimm version. Never before have we seen this tale told through the eyes of one of the stepsisters, and I find that angle to be particularly intriguing.

From the body-horror camp, this is an absolutely disgusting production—and I mean that as a compliment. It’s grotesque in all the right ways. Myren’s performance as Elvira is gripping, while Torp, as the evil stepmother, is deliciously vile.

Shudder has hit a home run with this one, pulling inspiration from Cronenberg and The Substance to bring this wicked fairy tale to life.

Our Grade: A-, I had a great time watching this fascinating film. It’s streaming on Shudder, and I highly recommend checking it out! This is truly one of 2025’s hidden gems.

A foreign-made body horror film based on a fairy tale isn’t exactly an easy sell for the average audience—but then again, we’ve never really been here for them, have we? This unhinged, grotesque, and gorgeous film is a must-see. Expertly directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, it’s an even bigger achievement considering it marks her directorial debut.

I can’t wait to see what twisted, ridiculous vision she brings us next.