MALIGNANT (2021)

Director: James Wan

Written by: Akela Cooper, James Wan, Ingrid Bisu

Produced by: New Line Cinema, Starlight Media Inc, My Entertainment Inc, Atomic Monster Productions

Casts: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jean Louisa Kelly

Music: Joseph Bishara

Language: English

Genre: Horror

SYNOPSIS: 

Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.

REVIEW:

After a powerful start with a slate of horror films (Saw, Conjuring 1 and 2, Insidious), James Wan went on to make bigger, family-friendly studio films such as Furious 7 (2015) and Aquaman (2018). Known for his gritty writing of horror with a fine balance of emotions, James Wan returns back to his roots with Malignant. 

With a visual nod to the 90s type of Dark Castle opening of a horror flick, the film sequence sustains its outlandish plot that feels like a homage to the ’90s horror films both in tone and gory practical effects.  The plot kicks in during the ’90s, and a sprawling Gothic castle-like hospital nestled in rural isolation houses a medical anomaly. A doctor, accompanied by security, checks on their deformed but dangerous patient, Gabriel, only to find he is already slaughtered much of the staff. The film flashes forward to the present where we see Madison (Annabelle Wallis), a timid woman trying to soothe her abusive husband while pregnant. A nasty brawl leaves Madison in the hospital, forging a mysterious psychic connection with Gabriel, who has just begun a new trail of murder. 

James Wan has conceived the concept with writer Ingrid Bisu, who also plays the charmingly comedic role of a forensic officer, ensuring that the bonkers tone and humor are every bit intentional. Malignant embraces every bit of wit found in the late ’80s and early ’90s thrillers, including the more crazy efforts of filmmaker  David Cronenberg, Brian De Palma, and Dario Argento. It also includes a cheeky love triangle forming on the sly between Bisu’s character, Madison’s sister (Maddie Hasson), and Detective Shaw (George Young), that staggers to settle in the plot. It also sways past a comedic cop movie convention here and there and the gore fest really looks comedic and disturbing, like the ones we see in Sam Raimi films. But these kinds of homages keeps our attention intact and it is difficult not to like every bit of madness that Wan tosses our way. The film gets insane in every beat but the pace in the second half goes down a little before picking up with a crazy twist in the end. 

James Wan literally redirects us back to an age where serial killer thrillers stretched the furthest boundaries of plausibility. It was an era where killers and protagonists could be linked psychologically, and the detectives tasked with solving the slayings moved with a tint of comedy. However, the only potential problem might be the section of the audience who are not so familiar with that tropes and may have a more difficult time connecting with what Wan is attempting. Wan also expertly stages each horror set-pieces with a good pace, effective use of shadows and sound effects. The colored lighting motifs during the murders also add to the psychological aspect of the lead character and acts as a good foreshadowing for the climax twist.

There is no lack of creativity and technical finesse in this film. The action set pieces and climax gore fest are exhilarating on screen. Score by Joseph Bishara might seem a bit over the top for some but I felt that it gelled well with the homage that Wan was trying to achieve. Annabelle Wallis carries her complex character very well and kudos to Marina Mazepa who plays the physically demanding Gabriel role. 

The film might not work for people who are expecting a straightforward horror but I really like it for the bold attempt by James Wan and the team. The film might not have balanced the emotional spine as much as Conjuring (2013) but watch out for the climax scene where Wan attempts a similar emotional outcry that will move you for a moment, stamping the trademark of the brilliant filmmaker once again.

VERDICT:

James Wan returns back to his home ground to give another disturbing horror film that will definitely earn a cult status due to its stunning twist and the generous amount of tastefully shot gory segments. 

CELLULOID METER- 4/5: