The advanced screening of Slanted at the AMC Century City has ignited a fierce debate that transcends typical film criticism. Directed by Amy Wang, the film arrived in Los Angeles with significant momentum after winning the Narrative Jury Award at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. As it prepares to open in theaters next week, the conversation surrounding its portrayal of the Asian-American experience is reaching a fever pitch.
Reader beware of SPOILERS.
A Satirical Nightmare in the American South
Slanted is a satirical body-horror film that follows Joan Huang, a Chinese-American teenager living in the South. In a desperate bid to win Prom Queen and find social acceptance, Joan undergoes an experimental, irreversible surgery to look white. Wang uses this “nightmarish” premise to explore the extreme costs of seeking white approval, delving into themes of assimilation and internalized racism.
During a post-screening Q&A, Wang revealed that the concept originated in 2020, a year marked by a staggering rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. For some, the film captures the “unsubtle lunacy” of that era perfectly. It explores the delusions that children of color often indulge in when they lack a supportive community. It touches on the specific, “thorny” intrusive thoughts that come with being the only person of color in a “white-only utopia.”
The Selfishness of Survival
However, the blunt satire has left a sour taste for many who feel the execution lacks a redemptive arc. The central criticism lies in Joan’s journey and the specific nature of her selfishness. Rather than the surgery serving as a cautionary tale or a catalyst for self-growth, Joan remains entrenched in her own survival at any cost.
Even as the film concludes, Joan offers no warning to the hundreds of others lined up for the same procedure. Instead of accepting her culture or shouting that being a person of color is beautiful, she continues to hide herself, allowing the demand for the “white” procedure to grow even larger. This lack of a “pay it forward” moment or a shift toward community care makes the character feel less like a victim of circumstance and more like an active participant in the erasure of her own people.
Understanding the Concept vs. Agreeing with the Approach
There is a significant difference between understanding a directorial concept and agreeing with its execution. It is possible to fully grasp the message Wang is trying to convey, the horror of how racism forces one to self-destruct, while still disagreeing with the approach. For many viewers, the plot kept shouting how wonderful it is to be white, rather than highlighting the beauty of the original self.
Critics argue that the ending feels like a “slap in the face” for people of color. By concluding with a message that feels like “if you can’t beat them, be them,” the film risks reinforcing the idea that whiteness is a superior state of being. The lack of a redemptive arc for the protagonist leaves the audience with the heavy realization that, in this world, there is no pride to be found, only a “beautifully grotesque” surrender.
Body Horror or Social Horror?
While many have drawn comparisons to The Substance, those who have seen Slanted argue that it is a separate piece of art entirely. Where other films might focus on the visceral horrors of aging or general beauty standards, Slanted deals with the psychological horror of self-hatred and the physical permanence of racial erasure.
Whether Slanted is a sharp-toothed masterpiece or a misfire that reinforces the status quo, it has undeniably forced a conversation about the immigrant experience and the “un-reversible” choices made in the pursuit of a dream that was never designed for everyone.
