The most dangerous movie on Netflix

🎬 Cuties (original title Mignonnes, 2020)

Cuties is a French coming‑of‑age drama directed by Maïmouna Doucouré that sparked massive controversy upon its Netflix release. Although the film’s intentions center on critiquing the sexualization of children, its marketing materials and narrative content led to widespread backlash and debate about platform responsibility and viewer harm.

What Makes Cuties So Dangerous?

1. Provocative imagery and promotional mishandling

Netflix’s initial promotional poster and trailer superimposed hyper‑sexualized imagery of pre‑teen girls dancing provocatively—an aesthetic removed from the director’s original intent. The misrepresentation triggered outrage, fuelled viral “Cancel Netflix” campaigns, and led Netflix to publicly apologize and withdraw the promotional material.

2. Depiction of childhood in a problematic way

The narrative depicts eleven‑year‑old Amy joining a dance troupe to escape bullying and family conflict. Scenes show the girls performing revealing routines in front of male peers, apparently normalized behavior in their social context. Critics argue this risks normalizing sexualization among children, despite the film's ultimate condemnation of such exploitation.

3. Cultural misunderstanding and misinformation

Many viewers unfamiliar with French cinema or Doucouré’s broader activism misunderstood the film’s message. It became entangled with conspiracy narratives (like QAnon), and several nations—including Turkey and Pakistan—forced its removal over fears of promoting pedophilia. Globally, petitions to remove it amassed hundreds of thousands of signatures.

A Broader View: Other Disturbing Titles on Netflix

While Cuties is controversial from a societal and psychological impact perspective, other titles are considered dangerous in terms of visceral disturbance or graphic content:

The Platform (2019)

A Spanish social‑horror film with a dystopian premise: prisoners are housed in a vertical tower where a descending platform of food periodically feeds higher levels first, forcing those below into starvation or cannibalism. The film graphically explores themes of class, desperation, and human cruelty. Its unrelenting imagery—depicting cannibalism, self‑mutilation, animal slaughter and violent rebellion—is deeply unsettling for many viewers. Critics label it among the most disturbing films ever available on Netflix.

Hold the Dark (2018)

A psychological thriller starring Jeffrey Wright and Riley Keough, set in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Keough’s character enlists Wright’s expert help to hunt wolves she believes killed her children. But as supernatural tensions mount, the film becomes an exercise in existential dread and sparse brutality. Its tone is cold, ambiguous, and emotionally oppressive, amplifying a sense that nature—and human isolation—is one of the most terrifying threats. Critics praise its atmosphere but warn viewers of its moral bleakness.

The Perfection (2019)

A muscular psychological horror about two cello prodigies connected by an insidious school curriculum and dark personal history. The film spirals into grotesque violence, body horror, and shocking betrayals. Scenes involve ear severing, disfigurement, drug‑induced psychosis, and revenge fantasy. For viewers sensitive to body horror and cruelty, this film crosses the line into visceral and deeply uncomfortable territory.

Why Cuties Stands Out as Especially Dangerous

🔍 Psychological and Cultural Risks

Whereas The Platform or Hold the Dark rely on gore and existential horror, Cuties manipulates viewers emotionally through the prism of childhood exploitation. Its potential to mislead or desensitize makes it particularly dangerous—because it plays on norms and boundaries that viewers may not fully recognize crossing until it’s too late.

🌐 Backlash and global consequence

Cuties generated not just online outrage, but legislative and regulatory scrutiny worldwide. Some countries banned it outright; others demanded marketing be changed. Netflix even issued a formal apology acknowledging harm wrought by its promotion strategy. Few other Netflix originals have drawn that level of institutional response.

🎥 Artistic intent vs. public interpretation

Doucouré intended the film as a cautionary tale—a social critique of how sexualization affects young girls. However, mass audiences often experienced it as the behavior itself. The gap between artistic message and public consumption makes it dangerous: its provocative scenes could overshadow ethical intent.

Viewer Advice and Context

• Viewer discretion is strongly advised: Cuties may be triggering for parents, teachers, or anyone sensitive to child exploitation imagery—even though no nudity is shown, the implication of sexualization can be traumatizing.

• Understand the context: Unlike outright horror films that warn about gore (The Ritual, Sinister, Blood Red Sky), Cuties situates its tension in social realism.

• Media literacy matters: The most damaging aspect might be when viewers see the initial marketing before the film. Netflix’s misstep underscores how promotion can influence—and harm—public perception, regardless of content.

Final Thoughts

When the question asks: What is one of the most dangerous movies on Netflix?—it’s clear that Cuties, with its unintended impact, miscommunication risk, and global backlash, lives at the intersection of social danger, emotional harm, and cultural controversy.

Yes, films like The Platform, Hold the Dark, and The Perfection may shock and disturb, but they are anchored in mature themes with defined genres. Cuties, by contrast, pushes into uncertain territory—utilizing young characters and provocative imagery to illustrate the exploitation it claims to critique.