La sustancia

The substance reproduces the things that it wants to criticize.

The criticism doesn't work because it's contradictory. It wants to criticize the beauty cult but reproduces the fear and disgust of aging. It shows us a tremendously disgusting old female body and places it next to a younger, thinner and wrinkle-free version. With a male gaze all over it.

The Substance shows us that the worst thing that can happen to a woman is getting old. If she's old, she's worthless, ugly and unloveable. So you have to do anything to stay young, thin and beautiful.

Instead of criticising the system and the society, who are responsable for this beauty cult, the movie emphasizes, how greedy and envious the female protagonist is.