Metamorphosis (2022) Poster

(III) (2022)

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4/10
Slow burn leads up to nothing much..
Staley67-0211 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Saw the great reviews so I thought I would give it a shot. For $3 it seemed like a bargain. There's a reason why it's only $3. First off the acting- the husband just didn't seem convincing at parts. I understand it's a low budget movie but get someone to audition for the more dramatic scenes so we can be more convinced of what's happening. The wife was decent and the two hunters were ok since they only had a few scenes. Second the plot- it seemed rushed, they arrive at the island at the beginning of the movie and shortly after, out of nowhere, the husband starts acting strange and impatient. Next thing you know the wife catches him in the woods gnawing on his arm but she pretty much ignores it. The husbands strange behavior worsens but again the acting just doesn't seem convincing. It all leads up to the hunters assaulting his wife and he then beats them and eats their faces or something like that. Do yourself a favor, spend your $3 on something more worth while like a pair of nail clippers or a box of Lucky Charms. At least you'll get some satisfaction from those things.
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5/10
Slow burn, a little boring
hippyhalo227 June 2022
I'm not sure why this movie has such a high rating currently- almost a 9. While the movie wasn't absolutely terrible, it's certainly not worth that high of a rating. Definitely a slow burn movie, and not a typical horror film. I'd still call it horror, but drama-horror. The acting was decent, considering how little dialogue there is. I did find the film to be a bit boring, I had to fight against nodding off while watching. Honestly, not much happens until the end, and even then, it's minimal. The story is pretty minimal as well, and not very clear. Maybe that's the point? One of my biggest problems with the film is that I didn't care about either character- I cared a bit more for Alyssa than Hugh, but barely. He just comes across like a huge a-hole most of the time, and she just doesn't speak much in response to him. When the little bit of stuff that happens starts happening, I didn't really care. I don't think it's the actors' fault, but the writers didn't create characters that we feel any empathy towards. Wouldn't watch again.
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1/10
How NOT to write and direct a movie
targa910 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Another typically bad junior director movie--more concerned with "atmosphere" and acid-lighting than with actual story, dialog, characters.

Why do they keep doing this? So here are some hints for the junior director/writer the NEXT time he wants to make a movie:

1. LIGHT your scene enough so we can tell what the hell is happening. Much of this film takes place in dark areas, and we cannot make out shapes because we are not NOCTURNAL.

2. SHOW us the objects your characters are holding, looking at, reaching for, etc. The man threw some box down the hill. The acid-lighting showed us what looks like a little box. Later in the movie, they show us crawling toward the box. What is it? Who knows and who cares. The director doesn't tell us.

Also, when someone is reading something small, MAGNIFY the image so we can see it. Knowing her phone went off and seeing some fuzzy characters tells us NOTHING.

3. Have your characters act in PLAUSIBLE ways. It is not plausible, for instance, to have the wife see the man chew his arm over a campfire one night, and the next day only say, "I'm here for you if you want to talk to me".

That's STUPID. That would only make sense if (a) he's done this before and (b) it is a prelude to a common depression which she is aware of. But she didn't even KNOW he was seeing a psychiatrist before this trip. So when you see your husband chewing his own arm, the thing to do is (a) run out there and say, "Honey, what are you doing? Are you okay??" But she goes back to sleep. Then at least at the breakfast table she should say, "Honey, WTF were you doing last night? I saw you chewing your arm at a fire? Why are you sitting at a fire outside at night?" Instead, the dialog is "You can talk to me, honey". What crap writing. Another example: wife finds hubby crumpled in a bloody shower stall. Blood everywhere. She checks his fingers (to see where he's bleeding?). She doesn't ask him ANYTHING like "what happened? Are you bleeding? Where is this blood from?" Instead, she concludes he's in need of major medical attention, then runs out to this boathouse and lightly taps on the window saying "help?" in a mousey voice. Since she's able to get no one, instead of returning to her husbanding in the bloody shower, she STAYS OUT ALL NIGHT. What? None of this is plausible, or even interesting. It's just STUPID and lazy, insensitive writing. Finally, even though she knows the husband is seriously physically ill, instead of trying to convince him to get off the island to see a doctor, or say "I'm going to get a doctor for you", she says, "I'm leaving the island...with or without you." NICE. That's exactly how a loving wife does NOT act once she sees her husband has contracted some serious disease.

Earlier, the wife goes to the dock and sees what looks like a car battery with something on top of it (dark, amorphous, who knows?), but later tells her husband "the battery is missing"! No it's not! It's on the DOCK. We all saw it. Tell him the truth--say, "Honey, why the hell is the car battery sitting on the dock with the boats?" Idiot writer!

4. Explain your characters' motivations, and have them be credible. The best part of the movie was the husband complaining about working long hours, trying to prop up her art career, and feeling resentful. That bit of dialogue makes sense, and even garners SYMPATHY for the husband. And you NEED sympathetic characters for every movie. But that was it. The rest of the movie was him shouting at her, scaring her, and acting weird. I get it--he's turning into some monster. But STILL why have him be such a douche? Makes no sense. Doesn't tie into anything. Instead, he just slowly morphs into some disgusting animal that eats raw flesh, spends time with his rifle, vomits, at times sick and crumpled up, at other times running like he's in perfect health. It's just insane and stupid, and shows that the director has no real ideas--he just wants to gross/freak us out over this "metamorphosis", which has NOTHING over any wolfman movie we've all seen before.

5. Learn fight choreography. Toward the end of the movie, the two hunters are chasing the wife. Then, without showing us the husband coming out of the bushes to tackle one hunter, the very next scene is him on top of one of the hunters, killing him. What? That's it? Worse, the next hunter approaches the woman with a knife--CUT to scene of husband on top of second hunter, killing him. What? That's IT? That's how you show an attack? You leave OUT the attack part? Absolutely crappy fight choreography--lazy, amateurish, and shows what an absolute piece of rubbish this entire movie is--because THIS was supposed to be the climax, the best this movie can be--the fact that, despite his metamorphosis into some animal/monster, he cares ENOUGH about his wife to defend her from psycho-hunters (who, by the way, are also just contrived, cut-out "villains" with unconvincing motivations to go after this couple in the first place--just tacked on). But no--the director ROBS us of any cool "wolf-man jumps from the bushes and lands on the hunter's chesk, ripping his heart out with his teeth" moment. Instead, the director tells the actor, "OK you get on top of him here, and you start pretending to chew into him--ACTION!" Come on, learn how to choreograph violence, you numbskull.

6. If you're going to make someone a "painter"--convince us she's a REAL painter, and convince us a husband would pay all the bills to help her career. Show her leafing through her success photos--galleries, etc. She'd have to have SOME track record, Because NOBODY would become the bread-winner for someone who makes a few art-school chicken scratches for a face on canvas (with muddy charcoal, nonetheless). Bring us INTO her world as a painter, perhaps incorporate it into the plot, instead of just having her come back to find her excrescence destroyed with a hole in the center, and her getting mad. Use flashbacks and hire an actual painter as a consultant of how it would be credible. But as it is, you expect us to believe a spouse would become the breadwinner for someone who quit nursing school to "dabble" in paint? Give me a break!

I turned the movie off after the second hunter was being attacked. This is just a dismal, hollow mess of a movie, with inscrutable actions by the protagonists, dark/dim lighting to where you don't know what is happening, and the ending showed that the director/writer just wanted to make some grim, atmospheric drama, and we're just all supposed to go for it, even though nothing makes any sense whatsoever.

Typical garbage from a neophyte writer/director. Avoid at all costs.
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1/10
What? Warning: Spoilers
No character development. Just a guy suddenly eating an arm at night, coughing, getting angrier and more violent. Wife's behavior was ridiculous after she witnessed the husband's cannibalism. No cohesive storyline. Wasted time and money.
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3/10
Why Does This Have So Many High Ratings?
GhostlyAghast1 July 2022
I have no idea why this has so many positive reviews.

I absolutely love a slow burn. This was not that. This was just slow.

The writing wasn't the worst thing in the world but there were some cliché lines that I finished in my head before the actors could say them aloud.

I struggled to stay awake for this film. I *paid* to watch this film, but I finally fell asleep and didn't bother to finish it. I've seen enough horror movies (and gave this one plenty of time!) to recognize when one isn't going to go anywhere, where the characters aren't going to surprise you or make you feel anything much at all and when a movie is going to leave you with nothing.

Even if there was a big twist at the end (I made it a little over 49 minutes in), I don't care because I never cared about the characters. Their issues were never properly addressed. At one point the wife asks her husband if he's seeing a therapist, in a seriously accusing tone, as if getting help for his issues would be a bad thing. He gets mad that she went through his things.

Nothing substantial happens and the characters are bland and boring. I wouldn't recommend this.
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10/10
Recipe for strengthening your marriage: LOVE
zhivago9722 October 2022
I really enjoyed this uplifting look at a couple working through their marital challenges and coming out on the other side stronger and happier. It's a great example for everyone on how to make things work, even when not ideal.

Yes the husband has issues due to his hearty carnivore appetite, but nobody is perfect. He can't help it if he eats a lot of meat. And the wife has her own issues too. But together their love conquers all.

Even their evil neighbors that want to shoot and kill everything are overcome we they see firsthand the newfound joy and strength this couple demonstrates. They really teach the neighbors a lesson about minding their own business! And stop harming innocent animals!

Overall very uplifting and fun. Plus good lessons in how to treat your husband well so he will love you forever. Any wife who has marital troubles can learn a thing or two watching this movie.
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1/10
Beyond Stupid
JHmail0024 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Filmed way too dark, could not adjust my TV to see sh* for 80% of the scenes. Dialog is pathetic.

Plot: basically a p-whipped guy goes to a remote camp with a female (wife?) who's so far out of his league you know the whole movie is going to be bull*. Then the guy goes nuts and bites the finger off the neighboring redneck, later killing him and his buddy who (it's implied) were going to mess with the hottie chick. Then she stares winsomely at the now insane p-whipped guy before boating back to civilization and hopefully a better movie.

Yup....that's pretty much it.
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9/10
Awesome slow burn horror
marceldorian30 May 2022
There are fast paced, jump scare horrors and there are slow burn, character driven more adult ones. This one belongs to the second group. The movie places our protagonists, a married couple, in an isolated environment having to overcome some marital issues while trying to get closer to one another. However, the results are to opposite, as the husband descends deep into a trance like state while the wife is holding on to what's left of her life. As time passes and tension grows, something is bound to snap.
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9/10
Indie Filmmaking at it's Finest
tenillr-823-9063293 June 2022
Metamorphosis is a great independent film with an original storyline and amazing imagery and cinematography that conveys the tone and messages quite well. Grand performances by both leads. I was particularly impressed by Natasha Krishnan's subtle choices which complemented the film's mood. Great job by Alex Smoot and team!
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GREAT FILM!
Great film, very entertaining and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Amazing storyline I think the writer had a fantastic vision and it all came alive IN front of my eyes! Its hard finding a film that keeps your attention, and I did not check my phone once! I was fully into the movie.
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7/10
Strange watch worth your time
Horror_Flick_Fanatic4 October 2022
I thought the acting between the couples were really well done. At first I thought the transformation would be metaphorical and not literal. But then the male begins to literally go to a metamorphosis. What causes this transformation is not clear. Is it the woods. What about the creepy lurking hunters, what do they know what happens in those woods? Why were they so sure the couple would want to go home and return to the city?

So I found myself confused about whether the metamorphosis refers to the changes to the couple's individual characters or the nature of their relationship. What was the catalyst to cause the changes? What was it about that environment.

I thought it was a decent watch. It was available for free on YouTube with Ads, so it made it easier to watch.
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1/10
An 8.7? How???
twilightchaser13 June 2022
Top ten worst movies ever. I couldn't finish it in one sitting. I got bored every ten minutes as nothing happened. No character development, no plot development, essentially no movie. I forced myself to finish it because I rented it. But it was psychological torture to do so. So if the movie's intent was to psychologically torture people with boredom and completely nonsensical nothingness- Kudos great job.
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1/10
Terrible
jasonmbarrettaz27 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Have no clue why people would rate this film anything other than a 1. Film was boring, the characters weren't believable and the plot was full of holes. It wa slime watching a combination of The Shining and Deliverance but at a high school level. I can't believe I actually paid to watch it. Don't hold your breath that it'll get better, it doesn't.
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1/10
Terrible
angeladavis4910 October 2022
This couldn't be worse than if they were trying to make it bad. Some scenes I couldn't even see what was happening it was so dark. Nothing explained just random boringness. One reviewer said it was edge of you seat thrilling. The only way I'd be on the edge of my seat is if I'd fallen asleep and fell off the edge of my chair. This was free on amazon so I shouldn't gripe too much. I don't know why you keep saying how many characters I have to put here. I never had to write a minimum before and I've seen reviews much shorter than mine. There are no spoilers cause I saw no plot or anything to spoil. I hate to give bad reviews but this was so bad I had to.
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2/10
Horrible movie without a doubt!
highflight-6706017 July 2022
How on earth did this movie get the rating it did???

A lot of guess work with this one which midway through didn't matter anyway because I cared less.

I'm shocked I even managed to stay awake until mid point.

Pretty much a slow moving senseless piece of drivel bordering on a complete work of garbage. Did someone think this movie had deep connotations? Haha I'd say about as deep as the shallow end of a swimming pool.

I could never imagine having to pay to watch it.
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9/10
Slick, Compelling Indie Horror/Thriller
JGReviews27 May 2022
Metamorphosis is a truly beautifully shot independent film that I really enjoyed. Set on a gorgeous island in upstate New York, a couple tries to fix their marriage and make things back to how they used to be. The shooting location is amazing and honestly looks like somewhere I'd like to vacation if not for some of the creepy things I saw occur there in the film. The cinematography in Metamorphosis takes full advantage of the setting and skillfully establishes the mood as we see the husband slowly going through a disturbing metamorphosis. The two leads also provide impressive performances. If you are looking for a slick, compelling indie horror/thriller, I'd definitely recommend watching Metamorphosis.
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1/10
Ya no
bthomas-1757626 June 2022
I can't believe this movie got a rating of 8.5... horrible movie and boring.... i'm still baffled as to how people think it deserves an 8.5..... BULL...Ugh👎🏻
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9/10
What a little gem of a film
craigahrens26 May 2022
Bravo to writer/director Alex Smoot. Metamorphosis is just terrific from beginning to end. There were no flat spots for me nor any areas I thought were dragging along. The actors were all spot on! I really enjoyed the 2 lead actors. My hat is off to all involved in putting this film together! Well done folks!!
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2/10
Type of movie, you either love or hate.
song_of_rainbow27 July 2022
I am not even remotely in the love category. I did not like either main character. Can't even imagine them getting together. He is working himself to death and she is a lousy "artist" who apparently has never work like normal people, which is strange since they met in college. I'm sure some people would consider what she does as "art". I felt sorry for him, something happens while he is posting a sign, that tells me he has some degenerative medical condition. Worse partner possible if that's the case. There are a couple of bad guys, I'm sure something will happen in the future, but boredom has hit me hard and there is no way I will make it to the good part assuming there is one.
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10/10
Psychological horror that's sure to become a cult classic
hannahacombs15 May 2022
Absolutely loved this film. Set in the most beautiful location; the cinematography is unreal and the story line is both creepy and thought-provoking. It's a horror film, but it will have you thinking about the roles that people can play in co-dependent relationships. While the male protagonist reverts to an almost primal state, the female protagonist finds her inner strength. It's a slow burn, but totally worth it.

All in all, a great movie. Metamorphosis feels like true cinema, paying homage to the greats of the past, unlike some of the same drama/thrillers that we continue to see over and over again today. Highly recommend!
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7/10
Tense and strangely beautiful
susanrodgersauthor20 December 2022
Not my usual genre, which actually made this movie kind of a thrill to watch since it was a lone wolf amongst my usual movie fare. I enjoyed the tension and slow burn. The film was cinematic and starkly beautiful. I thought the cast was terrific. Dark nights and rain added atmosphere and tension. I got the feels at the end - ahhh! Can't give it away, but it got to me. Well shot, and startlingly frightening. Yes it's a slow burn but dig deep and if you're in a relationship you'll find yourself identifying with these two folks as they struggle to get through an unusually troubled, difficult marriage.
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3/10
Ever heard of an 80 min slow burn?
Yeah, me either. So as you can imagine not all that much happens. In fact, I can't really tell you what happened at all. And a lot of what DID happen was never explained or addressed... such as some foreboding neighbors and their motives, some mysterious nudes, some personal limb gnawing and well, a metamorphosis... to name a few.

Aesthetically the movie was beautiful. The quality of the picture was crisp and on point and the shots that were taken were gorgeous and atmospheric. Also the sound design added a lot to it as well and added to the desired atmosphere.

The acting was not phenomenal. It was primarily a two person cast and my main girl did a decent job. The guy on the other hand... he had the looks for sure, but that was about it. His performance was just odd and not in the I'm slowing slipping into insanity odd... but like unconvincing delivery with a stilted performance odd. The dialogue certainly did them no favors. It was... clunky, to say the least. Almost sounded like it was written by an AI trying to write a script for a soap.

As a lover of indi cinema, I hate to be that guy... but this felt like a bit of a waste of time. I think there was some light potential there but it was a very undeveloped idea. It would take some recasting, a major rework of the script and beefing up of the plot to get there. I'm giving this a 3 because a 2 feels harsh, but it was close. Would not recommend.
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1/10
I've sat through a lot of horrible movies
teaguesett18 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I give poorly rated movies a chance because I've found some good ones that way. This, however, is not a good one. Did you pause it partway through in confusion, wondering what's going on and suspecting the movie is not ever actually going to tell you? Are you questioning if you fell asleep and missed something? Good luck guessing because the movie will never tell you. You may have fallen asleep but trust me you didn't miss anything. Is he a zombie? A vessel of Lovecraftian Old Gods? A weredolphin? Did his hobby of eating raw wildlife give him brainworms or was that after he got all feral? We'll never know. Is it an allegory for mental illness? A toxic relationship? Could be but it sure fails to make me feel anything but vague apathy. The acting is wooden and annoying. The lines are unnatural and uninformative. It tries to be mysterious but is so dull you lose any interest in whatever mysteries will be forever unsolved. Don't bother. And seriously I have wasted hours of my life on absolute trash movies I regret less than this.
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1/10
Umm. Boring. Steer clear.
ldonadio19 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is not a slow burn. It's just incredibly slow. I feel like there are multiple reviews here that are from people that must have worked on this film and I really wish there was some kind of filter for this because I think those reviews are artificially upping the score. I was intrigued by the premise of this film but no explanation is ever given as to why any of the events are happening. The husband is regressing into something but why? I guess we will never find out. Even the short runtime of this film made it way too long. There are multiple scenes of people in the woods and a scuffle with some hunters and we never find out why this is the case. We never find out why the husband and wife are even trying to live in this remote house. It's alluded to that something has happened between them to hurt their relationship but most of the film is focused on his regression into some kind of monster I think? There are multiple long scenes of him just doing bizarre stuff in the woods like chewing on himself. I'm all for films that make me think and don't hand everything to me on a silver platter but this film just feels like someone had a vague idea and tried to turn it into a full length film. I had to come here and read the reviews to make sure I wasn't missing some kind of larger message and it seems I am not. If the writers had one, it's definitely lost on me!
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1/10
The movie is not as exciting as the trailer.
Top_Dawg_Critic26 June 2023
And the trailer is the biggest bore I've ever seen. This was an amateur-hour production even a fifth-grade drama class would laugh at. Even at a mere 82 mins long, it's boring and watching paint dry is more exciting. If you don't have any fresh paint to watch dry, that's ok too, you can just read the clearly blatant high-rating reviews and you will find them more entertaining. It really speaks volumes in how little faith even the filmmakers have in their own production to resort to these type of tactics. Do yourself a favor and skip this nonsense that goes no where very slowly. Go buy some paint and watch it dry for a better time.
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