'Nauseating' film with top Rotten Tomatoes score streaming free - but it comes with a warning

Fans of Oscar-winning body horror The Substance are being urged to watch a "nauseating" new film inspired by the story of Cinderella.

A far cry from Disney's take on the classic tale, The Ugly Stepsister draws more inspiration from the Brothers Grimm version of the story, and just like the book, it isn't short of bodily mutilation.

The cast of the horror-comedy includes Lea Myren as Elvira and Netflix La Palma star Thea Naess in the role of Askepott. Meanwhile Isac Calmroth takes up the role of Prince Julian and Ane Torp as Stepmother.

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The film's official synopsis reads: "A sinister twist on the classic Cinderella story, The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira as she prepares to earn the prince’s affection at any cost. 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."

Its commentary on body image and beauty standards is clear, with Elvira going to extreme lengths to appease her prince. One reviewer claimed that it perfectly captures "the very real horrors of being a woman", adding: "The Ugly Stepsister takes the idea of a fairytale and transforms it into a nauseating body horror masterpiece."

The 2025 film boasts an impressive 95 per cent critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes at time of writing, with an audience score at a respectable 86 per cent. However, many reviewers have all issued a warning to those gearing up to give it a watch: it's very, very gory.

"30 years of film criticism and this is the first time that I've had to turn away from the screen for fear of retching," penned The Times' film reviewer Kevin Maher. Meanwhile a casual viewer shared: "Guys. It was good. Go see it, really gross though."

"Horrible. Hated every second of the movie, I’m actually feel nauseous! DO NOT WATCH!" warned another, as a fourth reviewer said: "It was incredibly upsetting. It was also genius and unrelenting. I don't regret watching it at all, however the feeling it leaves you with is not a good one."

Other viewers have drawn comparisons between The Ugly Stepsister and Oscar-winning The Substance given its mix of gruesome body-horror and exploration of body image.

The Norwegian horror flick premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and has now been made available for at-home streaming.

For those feeling brave enough, The Ugly Stepsister is available to watch via Shudder which offers new customers a seven-day free trial. Alternatively, you can add Shudder to an Amazon Prime subscription for £4.99 per month.

The Ugly Stepsister is now streaming on Shudder