Transfigure

A simple, unique, innovative short film with a quite powerful reflective message. In just 4 minutes, you can fully understand the argument that the director wants to convey, being quite direct and precise. Once again, Dylan Clark showcased his potential and ingenuity for horror-based short films with incredible thought-provoking messages.

"Transfigure" is the clearest example of the physical acceptance of our bodies, where many people loathe what they see and feel incomplete for not meeting certain stereotypes they visualize on social media, ultimately leading to photo editing to gain approval from their followers, family, friends, and more. All of this from a virtual perspective.

That is why, despite its short duration, the short film captures the error of such an action with the addition of horror and suspense. Having that quite interesting aspect about parallelism. It should be noted that Hannah Clark is perfect for the role of her character, bringing very fitting expressions that align with the consequences of manipulation.

The use of Photoshop to remove, enhance, or adjust certain parts of the body is more common than we think. "Transfigure" leads you to reflect on accepting yourself just as you are, where you can boost your self-esteem and appreciate how perfect you are in the eyes of the right people. No one is physically perfect; we all have some detail, but that makes us unique. One must be the same person both physically and virtually.

In the section on special effects, this short film stands out; they have a level of detail in the face of our protagonist that is astonishing. Furthermore, that fluidity between the laptop adjustments and her face is very well executed. A CGI that doesn't feel so saturated and forced. It's understandable that a production this small has its flaws, but it's still worth it.

There are some inconsistencies between the laptop's movements and its functioning, but that is part of the essence of the suspense that is intended to be conveyed to the viewer.

A young woman making better her picture on laptop. With surprising results in real life. But everything got a price. Too high , in this case. A nice horror first for the craft to remind, in beautiful manner, old fairy tales in Gothic style.

'Transfigure (2021)' is a short horror film about a young woman whose efforts to alter her appearance in photoshop have much more tangible results than expected. It reminds me of the single-concept shorts that David F. Sandberg makes on his YouTube channel, with its almost 'silent movie' storytelling and singular focus on its central concept. The premise really is the meat and potatoes of the piece; there's little else going on here, beyond perhaps the satisfying special effects and the consistent sense of atmosphere. The piece has a hint of social commentary underpinning it and it doesn't waste a single moment of its slim runtime. It's really solid for what it is.