Welcome one and all to my review for the 2016 horror film, "The Transfiguration" Before I begin I would like to ask for you all to read my previous blogs and if you can subscribe. If you have any comments or views on this or any of my previous posts leave a comment below or follow me on social media.
As most of you know I love movies but, horror are my particular favourite. Recently I have become bored of the genre films that use noise effects to create cheap scares rather than effective story telling. Whilst "Blumhouse" have created a wealth of great, if not a little samey, horror films there has been a wealth of horror films produced by indie studios using every day scenarios to create effective horror. I had heard great things and read numerous glowing reviews of "The Transfiguration" and I am so happy to report that it did not disappoint. I purchased "The Transfiguration" from "Amazon UK".
"The Transfiguration" was written and directed by Michael O'Shea and is his first feature. The story follows Milo, a teenage boy who has lost both of his parents and lives with his brother. Milo is obsessed with vampires and becomes increasingly isolated before meeting Sophie, a troubled teen who has also experienced similar lost. Milo's secrets become harder to keep as he grows closer to Sophie, culminating in one of the best endings of any film I have seen in a long time.
"The Transfiguration" is incredibly well written, obvious devices like noise effects and gore could have quite easily been used in some of the darker scenes, instead the audience is given a wonderfully crafted film with a fantastic cast of mostly unknown actors. Eric Ruffin, who plays Milo, shows real skill and depth with minimal dialogue. With horror films there is always a tendency to portray a darker character as a one dimensional monster however, Milo is shown as a vulnerable and simply a teenager coping with a level of grief that no person should ever have to deal with. Chloe Levine is fantastic as Sophie. she is a great counter balance to Milo's quiet loner, choosing to have a more positive outlet for her pain. the pair have great chemistry whilst on screen together without the reliance on an overly saccharin love story.
The film has been shot in such a great way. The colour has almost all been drained from certain scenes, especially the scenes where Milo is alone in his room. There is a great quality to the hand held style that the film has been shot giving it a more realistic quality. There is very little soundtrack but, the score that is present is great at building tension without being over powering, I was reminded of "It Follows" that uses a similar style.
What I love about the story telling in the movie is there that the main premise is not about horror and vampires, that becomes a secondary plot device. the main themes are isolation and love at a base level it just so happens that Milo is obsessed with vampires. There is an ambiguity with the way in which the story is told that left me guessing right up until the final 20 mins or so. The final 20 mins unfold in such a wonderfully tragic way that it left me satisfied with the way the events unfolded.
I can't recommend "The Transfiguration" enough. If you are looking for a cheap scare filled vampire movie you'll want to avoid it. If you are looking for one of the most effective horror films in recent memory that requires you to focus on a story rather than jumping out of your chair you'll be on to a winner. Thanks for reading and if you have anything to add let me know by following me on social media at one of the following links:
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