Malignant (2021) Review

 

Malignant (2021)

Malignant follows Madison, who after a break-in that leaves her boyfriend and unborn child dead, is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these dreams are in fact terrifying realities. 

Malignant feels like the result of a director having so much pull within a studio that at this point, they will genuinely let him make anything. Because without its’ glossy, budgeted finish, this is an 80s, sci-fi creature feature (and certified B-movie) that has been transposed to the modern age. The first half is pretty standard in terms of supernatural, modern horror, setting up some mystery elements, while giving us our fair share of jump scares and the such. But man, the entire third act does a wild U-turn, and ups the body count significantly (can’t wait for the Dead Meat Kill Count on this) with the unveiling of Madison as one half of a parasitic twin THAT LIVES IN HER FUCKING SKULL. It’s such a epic and batshit sequence that honestly makes the movie for just how out there and weird it truly is (plus it’s a great use of practical body horror). 

Most shockingly of all though, it’s from James Wan, the mastermind behind the incredibly formulaic and monotonous Conjuring series, which makes this being one of the more original horror films of the past long while, a big surprise for me. It’s shot beautifully, to give an uncertain tension to each scene, while dropping small but effective hints throughout that this midnight ripper we’re seeing isn’t the most human of creatures. It does fall into a lot of the same jump scare-y traps and tropes that Wan is known for but when the big revelation hits, I gotta commend him for going full in, balls-to-the-wall crazy and not holding back. 

We get a pretty solid cast here as well, starring Ray Chase, Jake Abel, Michole Briana White, George Young, Maddie Hasson, and Annabelle Wallis. I’m a huge fan of Wallis, and so seeing her really get to flex her unhinged and darker side in this is both creepy and fun to watch, especially in her immersive dream sequences that randomly drop her right into the thick of the madness. 

Malignant, directed by James Wan, is certainly not going to be for everyone, and even I myself am trying to figure out my feelings about it. There is no question however that this was a kooky, original flick that allowed Wan a chance to really get in touch with his inner Cronenberg and make a movie that simply isn’t done all that often. 

7.9/10