[Rating: Rock Fist Way Up]
You can never really say exploring the mind of a sociopath is a “fun” thing to do. It can be a grueling, uncomfortable task for anyone empathetic to others. The Transfiguration is definitely not a fun movie. It is often a very tough film to take in. At the same time, it does an excellent job showing what it’s like inside the mind of a sociopath.
Directed by Michael O’Shea, The Transfiguration follows a young teenager named Milo. Played by Eric Ruffin, Milo is obsessed with vampyrism. The opening shot of the film reveals Milo slurping the blood from a man’s slashed throat in a run down public restroom. The film is an intriguing combination of horror and drama, set in an impoverished urban landscape. Milo is living with his older brother. He has had a life filled with tragedy, and as we find out through sessions with his school counselor, has thoughts about hurting animals.
Milo’s life is disrupted when he meets a young girl named Sophie (Chloe Levine) who recently moved into his apartment building. The two start hanging out together, throwing a major speed bump into Milo’s life when he starts having feelings for her. The struggle is obvious on his face after the two share their first kiss.
There is also Milo’s struggle with a group of gang members who can usually be found hanging outside of his building. Things are complicated after a murder in the building, and Milo is seen speaking to the police. This only further conflicts his life as the gang starts questioning and threatening him.
There are a lot of disturbing elements and imagery throughout The Transfiguration. There are no happy endings when it comes to this kind of study, but the acting (especially that of Ruffin) feels so genuine making the movie well worth the emotional pain. By the time Milo’s ultimate plan plays out on screen, the movie does a remarkable job of making you feel for the teen, even considering the horrific things he’s capable of.
As far as this being a horror movie, the vampire plot feels like a very loose guise to the true nature of this film. While Milo is obsessed with drinking blood and being a vampire, there are much more interesting elements at play in this film. Again, The Transfiguration is by no means an easy watch, but is well worth viewing all the same.
Jason is a former Emmy award-winning television news producer, film fanatic and pop culture geek. He has a soft spot for horror, sci-fi and fantasy and loves talking and writing about movies.
Comments on this entry are closed.