After Aquaman was released in 2018 to both critical and commercial success, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Warner Bros. wanted to continue their relationship with director James Wan. Perhaps the easiest way to maintain said relationship was to let him create whatever he wanted for his next movie. And so, Warner Bros. signed a blank check. At least, that’s what it feels like when watching Malignant. It is almost a miracle that a movie this absurd was made through the studio system, especially when PG-13 horror dominates. Nevertheless, it’s here, and we are able to watch it.
The initial plot seems relatively simple. Maddie (Annabelle Wallis) has been experiencing episodes of paralysis, in which she sees visions of murders occurring at the hands of a gangly, long-haired killer. When digging deeper into her past, she begins to think the killings might be tied to her childhood imaginary friend named Gabriel. As you might expect, this isn’t exactly how the rest of the movie plays out. Nevertheless, it is still an engaging central premise that keeps the audience guessing until the very end.
Malignant’s screenplay was written by Akela Cooper, who collaborated on the story with Wan and Ingrid Bisu. She does a good job at harkening back to giallo films of the ‘70s in both her dialogue and story pacing. Some may find the overexplaining of events and on-the-nose dialogue off-putting, but those with a love for giallo will likely not be fazed. The cast also knows exactly what kind of movie they’re in, with Wallis attempting her best Lynda Day in Pieces impression with her screams.
Wan applies his usual directorial flair with an extra splash of color to this film. Many scenes are shot as either one-takes or giving the appearance of such, which makes the action infused into the gory kills more fluid. The effects are solid for the most part, although some CGI could have used a bit more polish. However, what was done practically is stellar throughout.
What will probably define this film for years to come is its ending. While relatively easy to guess once the clues are put together, its actual execution is still jaw-dropping. Once the twist is revealed, the movie’s final act fully leans into the action it teases throughout the film. Some of its choreography slightly resembles that of a more feral Upgrade (directed by Wan’s partner-in-crime Leigh Whannell). Even if you aren’t a hardcore horror fan, the chances that you’ll appreciate the absurdity of it are high.
There is a clear love and understanding of the “seedier” parts of horror throughout Malignant. It knows that not everyone will love or get it, and Wan and co. are more than happy with that. They fully embrace the weirdness of the subgenres they are homaging instead of cherry-picking their more aesthetically pleasing parts. It is a true love letter to the genre that could have only been made with a blank check. If my theory on how this film got made was correct, Wan certainly made the absolute most of it.
