From Reality+ to The Substance: How Appearance Anxiety Evolves in Mixed Reality and Body Horror

The movie The Substance, starring Demi Moore, intertwines concerns about appearance with elements of body horror and has received widespread acclaim since its release. Notably, director Coralie Fargeat had already explored similar themes in her 2014 short film Reality+. This short film, rich in sci-fi elements, not only foreshadowed the impact of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and XR technology on users' self-image but also showcased Fargeat's forward-thinking perspective on technology and human nature.

The Substance and Reality+ share several common elements, such as a commercialized world, transformative black technology, and mysterious organizations. (Sources: MUBI, YouTube)

Reality+: A Gender-Swapped The Substance with a Touch of Black Mirror

In the near-future setting of Reality+, the male protagonist uses an implanted brain chip called "Reality+" to alter his perception, summoning a holographic interface to choose his desired appearance. Others with "Reality+" implants experience a similar 'mixed reality'—meaning everyone can present themselves as their ideal version. In one scene, the protagonist visits a club filled with men and women using "Reality+," creating a crowd of handsome men and beautiful women—all products of filters, photo editing, and beauty enhancements that have not only invaded but, in some ways, replaced reality itself. The name "Reality+" subtly conveys the director’s message: has reality truly been upgraded or merely distorted?

In Reality+, users can also customize their appearances, a process that seems much more convenient than the injections required in The Substance. (Source: YouTube)

As in The Substance, the message that beauty comes at a price and is fleeting is also evident. The "Reality+" implant can only be activated for 12 hours, after which users must rest to recover from the mental and physical strain. Both Reality+ and The Substance focus on the torment induced by the pursuit of beauty and its inevitable backlash, emphasizing how external judgment can reshape self-perception. Appearance anxiety doesn’t arise in isolation; it’s triggered when we become conscious of society’s scrutiny and potential judgment. A key difference between Reality+ and The Substance, however, is the gender of the protagonists: the former features a male lead, while the latter stars a once-glamorous Hollywood actress, underscoring a heightened sensitivity to appearance and aging.

This distinction extends to the way each film depicts self-perception. The Substance shows its protagonist internalizing others' views of her, capturing this vividly through imagery—specifics that are best left unspoiled. Reality+, on the other hand, perhaps because its mixed reality technology is reversible and easily turned off, or due to the male protagonist’s comparatively subdued appearance anxiety, ultimately offers a happier ending.

Compared to Reality+, The Substance has a wilder, more desperate ending that also delivers a stronger impact. (Source: MUBI)

When Reality and Virtuality Blur: Brain-Computer Interfaces and XR Technology in the Real World

Although Reality+ ends on a happier note, both films emphasize that humans cannot escape society's scrutiny of appearance, presenting this painful truth through distinct technological approaches. In Reality+, appearance anxiety is addressed by using technology to bridge the gap between the virtual (ideal) and the real (flawed). This is similar to how people choose idealized avatars in virtual worlds, but in Reality+, the avatar is directly superimposed onto the user in real life. This relationship between the avatar and user echoes the concept of The Proteus Effect discussed earlier.

In The Substance, director Coralie Fargeat takes a different approach, fully separating beauty and reality through body horror, allowing both the protagonist and audience to see that beautiful bodies and horrific mutations are, in essence, the same. What is deemed beautiful or ugly is equally “real.” This leads to a much more intense impact than that of Reality+.

From Reality+ to The Substance, spanning augmented reality to body horror, both films escalate their critiques, also evoking a strong sense of déjà vu. Both feature shadowy organizations providing protagonists with a secret transformation formula (with similar logos), and their worlds are saturated with signs promoting youthful bodies. This déjà vu is particularly striking given that the brain-computer interfaces and XR technology portrayed in Reality+ in 2014 have only recently become reality.

For instance, Elon Musk’s Neuralink is actively developing brain-computer interfaces, and numerous studies confirm that VR can alter users’ self-perception and even aid in treating anorexia—demonstrating how modern technology blurs the line between reality and virtuality. But will this lead to a future like that in Reality+? Interestingly, as we see with brain-computer interfaces and VR treatments for anorexia, the same technologies can produce widely different outcomes.

In March this year, Neuralink announced that its first quadriplegic user played chess solely by thinking, made possible through its brain-computer interface. Shortly after, Neuralink introduced a brain chip designed to help the blind regain vision. (Source: X)

After watching The Substance, consider exploring its predecessor, Reality+, which provides further insights into appearance anxiety and how various technologies influence human nature.