Grafted

Sasha Rainbow’s “Grafted” is an audacious and visually striving comedy-body-horror that gleefully dissects themes of feminine competition, jealousy, and the crushing weight of beauty standards.

Set in a high school ruled by popular girls and anchored by a socially awkward science prodigy, the film takes grotesque and exhilarating turns, exploring cultural integration and self-acceptance with a bizarre twist.

Wei (Joyena Sun), is a disfigured science student, who inherits her late father’s obsession with perfecting technology. After witnessing his death in a gruesome experiment, she becomes consumed by her own quest for perfection. 

Moving to her aunt’s house in New Zealand, Wei’s desperation to reinvent herself collides with the toxic dynamics of teenage female rivalry. Her excitements spiral out of control as she discovers how to literally graft the beauty of her torments onto herself.

The film’s second half bursts into a chaotic blend of pink goop, severed body parts, and clunky surgical visuals. While undeniably entertaining, this spectacle overshadows the deeper emotional threads.

Wei’s trauma and cultural struggles are introduced but remain surface-level, with her backstory in China feeling like a missed opportunity to explore themes of cultural critique.

Rainbow’s direction is captivating and stylish, merging a bubblegum palette and cartoonish pop-art style with grotesque imagery. The glittery high school aesthetic juxtaposed with surreal gore gives the film a unique identity - like “Mean Girls” meets “The Substance” with Creepy shades of “American Mary.” 

Exaggerated performances and a self-aware camp amplify the absurdity, though moments of genuine discomfort emerge in its depiction of envy as a destructive force.

While it offers a satirical critique of beauty standards and cultural assimilation, its shallow exploration of Wei’s character leaves it emotionally hollow. 

For teen girls craving a rebellion against societal pressure or gorehounds searching for a visually dazzling ride, “Grafted” delivers. Just don’t expect it to leave too much of a scar.