Malignant (2021) - James Wan's new horror

[Drunken Monk]

I think this looks fantastic. Looking forward to it...

 

[DarthKato]

This one looks like it might be really good.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Of course I saw this in the theater. I did my best to avoid most talk/tweets on this (had not even seen a trailer) and if someone starting talking about it in person I would just walk away saying "I am a vampire!" very loud. I will do my best to avoid spoilers. I'll be generic and say this was a combination of a scene in a Arnold Schwarzenegger film (which was also in Ready Player One) mixed with a Brian De Palma film hee hee. But I ended up having a lot of fun with this. Wan has improved as a director. While I have not always liked his non-horror films (Furious 7, Aquaman -- did not hate them, but felt more like studio movies), I have though he has improved as a director (though Saw is a pretty good film to start off with) compare the direction in Insidious to this (world of difference). 

We have a film that teases with his other movies (like the repeated mention of the devil) and references Insidious (He has stated his influence from Argento and Bava, but I see some Takashi Shimizu here as well) with its use of scares, but also to make use think we are in a different type of film. Our protagonist Madison Mitchell has had several miscarriages and is the victim of domestic abuse (the use of the husband was rather lame and obvious on his early demise) which leaves her dazed, bloody and apparently at the same time this apparition appears (hard not to think of Kurosawa's Pulse with his initial entry) which dispatches the husband while she sleeps. One might wonder why she goes back to the house -- alone (one issue is that there are too many stupid people here doing things they should not do alone like when the detective (Kekoa Shaw named after the Shaw Brothers hee hee) chases the suspect into it's territory which was thrilling but ultimately a rookie mistake. She is a suspect, though you might wonder why because the rash of murders the real suspect seems way too strong to be her. She ends up in a "Wrong Man" type plot (which points to the Hitchcock influence which also points to the De Palma influence) as the murder keeps killing certain people. But how is she connected? Here is where I am wary of spoiling, but you know she is connected. 

There are a couple of twists: one of them big. It might surprise you, it might not, but I thought it was effective and certainly different than what Wan has done before. The movie kept me interested and there was some great scenes when I was not expecting them to be. 

There is some good action and some good fight scenes. I was not expecting that as it was more thrilling than films that were meant to have good fight scenes (Mortal Kombat, Snake Eyes). Wan has a good eye for the way his films are shot (kudos to Michael Burgess as well) and the CGI for the most part flows well here. Most people will talk about the twist, but I hope more talk about the action and the look of the movie. I think this makes a good theater watch (more than HBO Max is what most people have used to seen the film that I have talked to). 

I will buy when it BD comes out. I will scrutinize it more (the plot issues will most likely become more prominent). But I'll also noticed the various connections like isn't that outfit from Lady Vengeance and does not that scene remind you of A Tale of Two Sisters? 

I figured a good chunk of the twist out earlier, but not all of it. I love being surprised. But this pastiche of older horror, non-English horror, his own works made this a worthy watch. 

[laagi]

I just couldn't get into this movie from start to finish. So count me disappointed overall. Especially after all the praise it received as one of the "best horror" movies of the year. Then again I don't really care for all those reviews.

The movie just never had any clear direction as to what it wants to be. That was probably my biggest problem. Especially the end is more action movie (not a bad one) than anything else. Some of the practical effects looked pretty poor. The twist if you wanna call it that is okay. Nothing you can't really see coming from afar.

Annabelle Wallis does a good job, something I wished I could say about her co-stars. Especially the detective duo is pretty bad.

To me this is an average movie with some good action. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Drunken Monk]

I think this film’s biggest crime is that it’s super boring. I love that it doesn’t take itself seriously and when it’s good, it’s very good. The gore is top notch and the third act is a riot. But I just found it to be very dull. The pacing seemed off.

I’ve read reviews where people appreciate it a lot more on their second viewing so maybe I’ll revisit it for my October horror movie marathon.

[Super Ninja]

Through the years Wan made a couple of movies that deserve attention and got me interested in his work enough to be checking the "new James Wan" movie. Just when I started thinking why did I even bother watching this, Malignant started becoming interesting.

I have to give Wan a credit for turning Malignant from home invasion piece to haunted house to supernatural to slasher horror, and ending it with some unexpected and very decent action; special mention for that bird eye shot inside the house. If not taken too seriously, Malignant is a solidly entertaining and enjoyable horror which delivers on the gore and mystery, with scenes that just scream gialli; Bava and Argento are top picks influences wise, which explains the colors in Malignant. 

One of the best horrors of the year? I wouldn't go that far. However, Gabriel is one of the more interesting horror villains of today as is his "tool of trade".