Malignant Review: If You Are Ready For A Crazy Ride It Will Amaze You Find Out!

Director: James Wan

Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, and Michole Briana White

Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Let’s face it right away: it’s not easy to write a Malignant review, James Wan’s new film in cinemas from 10th September. Even the title has multiple levels of meaning (as has already happened for the Saw saga, one of the longest-running and public-loved horror franchises, created by the Australian director, in which the word “saw” refers to both the most gore than the voyeuristic one) and ruining the viewer the chance to enjoy a surprising and absolutely crazy journey would be a real shame.

First, let’s try to frame this film within the author’s path: Saw (2003), James Wan’s second film, co-written with Leigh Whannell, made the director famous all over the world. The progenitor of a long series of films (seven sequels plus a reboot, Spiral – The legacy of Saw) has transformed Wan into one of the Midas of contemporary horror. Then came the sagas of Insidious and The Conjuring (a real expanded horror universe, which also includes the spin-offs on the demonic doll Annabelle and The Nun – The vocation of evil).

Meanwhile Wan also moved on to the big blockbusters: in 2015 he directed Furious 7, the seventh chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise, and above all Aquaman, with Jason Momoa in the (few) role of the DC superhero. With its 1 billion 90 million grosses, the film became the most profitable in the DC Extendend Universe, making the director one of the lead writers for Warner Bros. and creating high expectations for the sequel, Aquaman 2, currently in the works, whose release is scheduled for 2022. To that of director and author, “Creepy puppet” (this is his nickname on Instagram) has also added a career as a producer of other films: not only horror, such as La Llorona – Le lacrime of Michael Chaves’ evil, but also potential new franchises, such as Mortal Kombat. Big fan of the video game,

Malignant: James Wan Goes Back To Basics

Malignant is therefore the film between the two Aquaman for James Wan and for the director it is a return to origins. A smaller budget, a great display of handcrafted special effects, an underlying disquiet not suitable for families. It starts in the 90s: videos recorded on VHS, aseptic rooms that belong to a hospital, or perhaps to a psychiatric institution. A very self-confident doctor wanders through the corridors of this building. Among his patients is little Madison. Apparently, she has crises that paralyze her. The situation worsens and, according to her therapist, it is time to “remove the tumor”.

Deadlift. We find Madison as an adult, to interpret her is Annabelle Wallis (Grace in the TV series Peaky Blinders, who returns to work with Wan after Annabelle ). Her health problems have passed, but she has very different thoughts: married to a violent man, she tries to have children, but regularly loses them because her husband beats her, putting her mental and physical health to the test. Madison’s ordeal turns into a nightmare: a strange presence enters the house. Could it be Gabriel, the imaginary friend she had when she was little and whom she called “The Devil”? Or does he simply no longer see things clearly?

One thing is certain: Gabriel begins to commit a series of gruesome murders and every time Madison comes into action it is as if he were there, at the crime scene. Her body becomes paralyzed, the environment around her changes: suddenly she finds herself in the same room as the killer. And witness every kill. Soon he turns to the police and finds help from a detective (George Young). Demonic possession, crime drama, psychological thriller. And the genres didn’t end there: Malignantit’s a return to origins for James Wan, a small space he has carved out to get back to working with what he loves most. The theme of the body, illness, the inability to distinguish between what is real and what is not, a great attention to the environments and props. In this film, each scenography becomes an extension of the protagonist’s point of view and it is as if it literally came to life.

Malignant: Stop With Jump Scare (Finally!)

A plague that has plagued many contemporary horror for some time is the jump scare technique: suddenly a noise is heard, a figure approaches, someone shouts and the viewer literally jumps into the armchair. Not a particularly original ploy to scare the public. Unfortunately, given its effectiveness, it is being abused more and more. The Conjuring itself – By order of the devil (third chapter of The Conjuring saga directed by Michael Chaves) makes an almost annoying use: every time the rhythm slows down, a jump scare arrives on time to awaken us. With Malignant, on the other hand, James Wan strove to renew himself, to do something completely different from the films that brought him to the attention of the industry. The result is something that at some point changes and becomes completely insane.

At some point Malignant puts his foot on the accelerator and if you decide to do this crazy ride it can become a surprise. Don’t be fooled by the trailer – this isn’t the movie you can expect. Blood is the common thread: everything is born with blood and everything is nourished by it. The protagonist is obsessed with having a child, with creating a biological bond and even the director himself is fascinated by the clinical aspect, by the operating table, by anatomical details that recall David Cronenberg’s first body horror films. The mutation, the foreign body are themes that come back all the time. The colors of the film reflect this idea of ​​dualism between opposites that coexist reds and blues (a combination that often returns in Wan’s cinema) underline the contrast between good and evil, mind and body, Annabelle Wallis holds much of the film on her and we are with her even when everything seems to get too absurd. There are no half measures with this film: either you embrace its spirit and let yourself be carried away by James Wan’s macabre fantasy and desire to play, or you reject it.

Malignant And The Sisterhood

Among the many ideas put on the plate by James Wan in Malignant, there is also that of giving a current subtext to the story of the protagonist: in a reality in which a dark presence disturbs the mind of the protagonist, the person who perhaps really does the most. fear is the abusive husband. In Malignant Wan reflects on the consequences of our violent actions: the way we treat others can determine our destiny. Central to this is the character of Sydney, Madison’s sister played by Maddie Hasson. She is the only one who is always on the side of the protagonist, even when we see the disturbing little films that portray her as a child. Also, thanks to the support of her younger sister, Maddie will come to say that she wants to get her mind and body back:

Malignant Review: The Verdict

As written in Malignant’s review, James Wan has carved out a space where he can give vent to everything he loves most: the mixing of genres, the love for handcrafted special effects, the obsession for the human body. Annabelle Wallis bears the weight of the film on her and we are with her even when everything gets particularly insane. If you decide to follow this surprising ride, the film becomes unexpectedly fun.

What Worked

• James Wan goes back to basics with a smaller, more artisanal film.
• Malignant, for better or for worse, is an amazing film.
• If you get carried away by this crazy ride, Malignant is an unexpectedly funny movie.

What Not Worked

• Sensitive audiences may find several gore scenes disturbing.