The Transfiguration
Strand Releasing | Release Date: April 7, 2017 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
65
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesJen YamatoApr 20, 2017
Bold and brutal in shocking spurts, the indie horror drama from writer-director O’Shea is a startling debut that leaves a fresh mark on the genre while celebrating its forbears. Read full review
83
The Film StageJared MobarakAug 16, 2017
Where O’Shea succeeds and Hollywood often fails is acknowledging the pain and sorrow so many feel can’t magically disappear. To be cognizant of your own evil is to accept its cost. Realizing you are the monster might be the worst punishment you could ever endure. Read full review
80
EmpireKim NewmanApr 18, 2017
More "Moonlight" than "Twilight," The Transfiguration is a defining vampire film of the mid-2010s. An acutely observed study of social/emotional deprivation, but also a gripping, disturbing horror movie. And, yes, it’s ‘realistic’. Read full review
75
Washington PostAlan ZilbermanApr 20, 2017
O’Shea follows his twisted premise to its inexorable conclusion, so his film is ultimately more unnerving than sad. Read full review
70
The New York TimesAndy WebsterApr 6, 2017
Mr. Ruffin must carry the film, projecting interior activity and suggesting information where the script (by Mr. O’Shea) does not. That he imbues the film with a weight greater than its words is a testament to his skill as an actor. Read full review
70
Village VoiceKenji FujishimaApr 6, 2017
The Transfiguration gradually reveals itself to be a coming-of-age tale, one whose central figure reaches a point at which he’s forced to reckon with the evil lurking within himself. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyMar 13, 2017
While death by bloodsucking is very much a factor, this is actually a subdued, contemplative drama about the lingering trauma of grief and the efforts of an introspective teenager to invent an invulnerable persona to shield and ultimately release him. Read full review
70
Screen DailyCharles GantMar 13, 2017
Native New Yorker Michael O’Shea makes an impressively confident directorial debut with The Transfiguration, a vampire movie that looks, feels, walks and talks like a gritty US indie flick. Read full review
70
We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoMar 13, 2017
A concrete horror flick that burns with consequence, ignited by strong characters who are far more tested in their experiences than anyone of similar age. Bloody, emotional and visualized with a damning spirit – what an outspoken genre manipulation for first-timer Michael O’Shea. Read full review
67
ConsequenceMichael RoffmanMar 15, 2017
The problem is that, for all of its cinematic merits, there’s something strange about this particular vampiric parable. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineHenry StewartApr 2, 2017
The film is at its strongest when navigating the story's uneasy relationship to its genre. Read full review
60
Time Out LondonTom HuddlestonApr 18, 2017
Crisply photographed, thoughtfully plotted and sharply soundtracked, The Transfiguration is a solid slice of US indie horror. Read full review
60
VarietyCatherine BrayMar 13, 2017
Where the film runs into some difficulty is in sustaining its initially very promising mood of incipient violence. Withholding revelations can be an effective strategy, but it’s perhaps slightly overused here, as the result feels ever so slightly dry. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMichael AgrestaApr 26, 2017
First-time director Michael O’Shea, like his bloodthirsty cinephile protagonist, tempers his killer instinct with moody introspection. Read full review
40
CineVueJohn BleasdaleMar 13, 2017
The tone is mournfully serious and this contrasts with the inherent silliness of vampires. Milo, with his glazed expression and apparent absence of affect utterings, is a compellingly dour presence but doesn't prove quite enough to prop the film up alone. Read full review
40
The GuardianNigel M SmithMar 13, 2017
The Transfiguration is a character study first and foremost, spending all of its time with Milo. Problem is, he’s so opaque that as a protagonist, he’s completely impenetrable. Read full review
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