The reviews are in for ‘The Beauty’
Ryan Murphy’s latest FX thriller, The Beauty, has exploded onto screens like a supermodel’s worst nightmare, blending body horror with a satirical stab at Ozempic culture and pretty privilege. Based on the comic series, this tale of a deadly virus that grants killer looks—literally—stars Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall as FBI agents unraveling the gore. But as reviews flood in from across the web, opinions are as divided as a botched facelift: some hail it as deliciously unhinged, while others deem it a skin-deep mess.
Beauty and the critics
The Guardian is all in, calling The Beauty a delicious body horror romp with exploding supermodels and Isabella Rossellini stealing scenes—Ryan Murphy at his peak, they say, forgetting his recent flops. Over at Empire, it’s dubbed an absolute riot, praising the Substance-style chills and stellar turns from Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall.
Not everyone’s enchanted, though. The New Yorker brands The Beauty a hot mess, critiquing its shallow digs at incels and Ozempic era without depth, while the LA Times finds it less delightful amid the gore, appreciating only buried gems like a Chad and Jeremy nod for the nostalgia buffs.
Overall, The Beauty splits the crowd like a viral trend—Slate hails it as Murphy’s trashy triumph with sex and stars, but TechRadar’s X post slams it as bargain-bin drivel. Posts on X echo this divide, blending hype for the sci-fi satire with groans over predictability.
Stars shine and splatter
The film review praises The Beauty for its skin-deep pleasures, dubbing it a playfully profane satire on vanity and corporate greed, with Ryan Murphy and Matt Hodgson’s creation delivering just enough bite to keep viewers hooked amid the body horror frenzy.
Meanwhile, What’s Alan Watching notes that The Beauty embodies Murphy’s maximalist style—thrilling when it works, a wreck when it doesn’t—highlighting the series’ wild ideas and strong cast, though it critiques the uneven tone that veers from inspired gore to uninspired true crime vibes.
San Francisco Chronicle’s review calls The Beauty highly flawed yet compelling, hitting close to home with its miracle drug metaphor for real-world obsessions, blending social commentary with sensationalism that might leave some viewers queasy but undeniably engaged.
Horror with heart?
The Beauty earns high marks from The Wrap for reclaiming Ryan Murphy’s groove, blending bold Ozempic commentary with gripping storytelling that keeps viewers invested, even as the body horror escalates—proving the series isn’t just shock value but a clever critique of beauty’s dark side.
Bloody Disgusting’s take, echoed in Daniel Kurland’s X post, celebrates The Beauty’s activated cold open and unhinged energy, calling it Murphy’s most vibrant work in ages, though it warns of a dip after the premiere that might leave horror fans wanting more consistent thrills.
Awards Buzz reviewer Abe Friedtanzer finds unexpected joy in The Beauty, praising the storytelling beneath the blood and sensationalism, with FX’s glossy production elevating the sci-fi satire into something binge-worthy, despite its over-the-top elements that could polarize audiences.
Mixed signals from the masses
The Beauty garners buzz on X, where users rave about its glossy gore and social bite, likening it to a feverish take on modern vanities—though some posts dismiss it as over-the-top schlock, predicting it’ll fade like last season’s trends despite the star power.
Esquire dubs The Beauty a hot mess in every sense, exploding with cameos like Bella Hadid’s but fumbling its satire on beauty’s perils, leaving viewers with a botched narrative that prioritizes shock over substance in Ryan Murphy’s chaotic style.
The Daily Beast praises The Beauty as a compulsively watchable Ozempic fever dream, blending fantastical horror with American excess, proving Murphy’s knack for hooking audiences even if the commentary on perfection feels skin-deep amid the escalating body horror.Final verdict
Whether The Beauty dazzles or disappoints boils down to your tolerance for Ryan Murphy’s wild swings—critics are split at 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans on X buzzing over its timely satire. Dive in if you crave gory glamour; otherwise, this STD thriller might leave you cold.
