You are here:

Beautiful Creatures

Name: Beautiful Creatures
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Released: 2013
Duration: 124 min

Representation Score

6.3/10

Good

2013

PG-13

Director

Richard LaGravenese

Runtime

124 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Beautiful Creatures stands out for its intentional casting and demographic subversion. By casting a Black actress in a lead role traditionally perceived as white, the film challenges the homogeneous expectations of the fantasy genre and enriches the social landscape. However, the film struggles with a lack of LGBTQ+ representation and a tendency to fall back on traditional romantic clichés. While Lena possesses significant supernatural power, the narrative often centers Ethan as the stabilizing force, limiting the potential for true gender role disruption. Ultimately, the film uses its supernatural premise to explore themes of social exclusion and identity, even if it adheres to conventional young adult storytelling structures.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Beautiful Creatures have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story follows a strictly heterosexual relationship between Ethan and Lena, with no LGBTQ+ characters present.

How does Beautiful Creatures portray gender?

Fair

Lena Duchannes exhibits significant supernatural power, challenging traditional gender roles. However, the film often positions Ethan as the grounded protector, reverting to familiar gender clichés.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Beautiful Creatures?

Excellent

Casting Gabourey Sidibe in the lead role disrupts the racial coding of the source material, adding diversity to the fantasy setting and complicating the town's social dynamics.

How does Beautiful Creatures represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film explores moral complexity through the dichotomy of Light and Dark Casters. It portrays the Southern town as a suspicious and exclusionary community, highlighting social tensions.

Does Beautiful Creatures include disability representation?

Fair

There are no explicit depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. The supernatural abilities of Casters serve as a metaphor for non-normative traits, but lack specific disability ability to act.

Present on Screen

Intentional casting in the lead role disrupts traditional genre demographics.
The use of moral relativism avoids a simplistic good versus evil binary.
Lena Duchannes possesses significant supernatural power.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks any visible LGBTQ+ characters or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities.
Gender dynamics frequently revert to traditional protector and stabilizer clichés.
There is no explicit representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Ethan Wate just wants to get to know Lena Duchannes better, but unbeknownst to him, Lena has strange powers. As Lena's 16th birthday approaches she might decide her fate, to be good or evil. A choice which will impact her relationship forever.

How are these scores produced? →