Malignant (2021)

[Eric Duncan]

Discuss

[Napoleon]

I liked the twist, I was expecting

Spoiler

the monster to be a twin brother or Madison herself - not a combination of both.

But the movie after that twist becomes ridiculous, I'm not one of those cynical people who laugh at serious movies but I couldn't contain myself for a moment here. Overall it didn't work for me, and will probably not work for most audiences, but I wouldn't rule out Malignant becoming a cult classic with time, just because of how crazy and unique it is. It will not be forgotten, and it will definitely still be entertaining on rewatch.

[Webslinger]

So... for about 90 minutes, Malignant is a reasonably compelling horror flick whose paint-by-numbers character development is offset by some cool sequences and a constant sense that James Wan and all involved know what kind of movie they're making and assemble it like pros.

 

Those last 20 minutes, though? *Chef's kiss* Once all the layers have been pulled back on Gabriel's nature, it morphs into a deliriously gory bloodbath that feels like the perfect union of all of Wan's strengths and sensibilities behind the camera. It might even be a more impressive accomplishment than what he pulled off with the intensity of the finale in the first Conjuring.

 

It's a shame this is bombing in the theaters. Pandemic concerns aside, this is the kind of movie I would have *loved* to see with a big, fully engaged crowd.

 

B

[CoolioD1]

People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 2021 - Gabriel.

[Rorschach]

Re-posting my Letterboxd review here:

 

Hell yeah! This was a blast! Which is honestly quite surprising considering it took a hot second for it to get going for me – I honestly wasn't too into it for the first half hour or so. But there was a certain point in the film – I think it was around the montage sequence where big bad transforms a golden trophy knife into his own makeshift weapon – that I just started to go along with the film's completely silly and infectiously over-the-top tone.

 

This is clearly meant to be a loving homage/send-up to the Giallo films of the late 60s and 70s, keeping in line with James Wan's appreciation for incorporating old school horror filmmaking methods into his works. In that sense, Malignant feels like a giant melting pot of all these classic sensibilities poured into one giant stew that ultimately makes this film work in spades for me.

 

And let me tell you about those last thirty minutes. Lord. They truly have to be seen to be believed. Talk about perhaps one of the most thrilling, ballsiest, swing-for-the-fences moves for a big-budget, wide release, major studio produced horror film that probably only could've been approved for someone with as much clout as James Wan could amass, what between creating probably three of the most popular horror franchises of the past twenty years.

 

In that way, it reminds me a lot of M. Night Shyamalan's Old from earlier this year – an ambitious, original mid-budget horror film from a big-name, financially proven director that takes a big, messy swing for the fences. In the case of both films, for every aspect of each of them that didn't quite work for me, there were an equal amount of thrilling aspects that still made me respect the absolute hell out two of them for daring to do what your average disposable studio-produced horror film is too afraid to do.

 

All-in-all, this was a shockingly pleasant surprise that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I ended up doing. An unforgettably bonkers time that I eagerly look forward to re-visiting in the future to come.

 

4/5

Edited September 12, 2021 by Rorschach

[FilmFincher]

The opening scene/credits are great and more along the lines of what I was expecting. The 2000's are back baby!

 

But then the movie was not clicking for me in the first half. 

 

The dialogue/acting are awful throughout and Malignant struggles to meld all these different tones. It's like every single actor was told they were in a different kind of film. It didn't feel intentional to me (and if it was it wasn't doing it for me) especially when the film tries to be dramatic. It's full on soap opera but plays it so straight. Everything in-between the Gabriel scenes are rough. 

 

It's not like a Sam Raimi film where everything is melding together perfectly, pure fun from start to finish and so sure of itself. Turning what should be schlocky B-movie stuff into something great. Instead Malignant is wildly uneven. 

 

Then we gets a 2000's era foot chase about halfway through and I had a big goofy smile on my face. The film just gets better from there, the ridiculous plot finally has some momentum and starts leaning into the schlock. Wonderful practical effects and solid attempt at creating iconic imagery for a horror villain. Wan is swinging for the fences with the most fun I've had in a third act of a film since maybe Cabin in the Woods. I might hate it more as I think about the first half or revisit it but i cannot deny the giddy joy it gave me and it leaves you walking out of the cinema on an a high.

 

I don't think I'd be able to say with a straight face this was good film, but was it an entertaining one? You bet your ass it was. 

 

6/10 

 

EDIT

 

I love it the more I think about it 

 

7/10

Edited September 16, 2021 by FilmFincher

[Alpha]

On 9/11/2021 at 6:53 PM, CoolioD1 said:

People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 2021 - Gabriel.

Nice fit tho fr

[Ozymandias]

"Maybe you need to stop getting pregnant, I'm tired of my children dying inside you" is played completely straight and probably the most hilarious line I've seen in quite awhile.

[filmlover]

Finally watched this and it's just as wild as the hype would lead one to believe. For the first 85 minutes it's pretty standard stuff (although Annabelle Wallis gives a fine performance that mostly makes up for the stiff acting that surrounds her and James Wan proves that his recent adventures in blockbuster cinema haven't diminished his ability to generate a creepy atmosphere). But then it hits the last quarter and just becomes so completely absurd that I had to laugh out loud at everything that was happening. This would've been a blast to see in a theater full of people. While this won't be remembered as one of the best movies of the year, it's 100% certain to go down as one of the most insane and entertaining to watch. B

[titanic2187]

Surprisingly solid film, not scary but at least thrilling and unexpected heart-warming 

[ddddeeee]

I don't think I've ever been so entertained.