Malignant | James Wan

[Marvolo]

Regarding the twist:

Spoiler

I figured out Gabriel and Madison were conjoined twins when the old man was killed and it showed Gabriel's messed up face. Then I connected that with the doctor in the opening scene saying, "Time to cut the cancer out." and connected those two things with the back of Madison's head being focused on repeatedly and constantly bleeding. I figured Gabriel was connected to the back of her head face first and cutting him away left him with a mutilated "face".

In the VHS video when Gabriel is knocked out and young Madison is being questioned by the doctor I expected the camera to either pan around and reveal Gabriel or Gabriel's arms would reach around Madison and embrace her in a creepy way.

What I didn't expect at all was Wan to pan the camera around and reveal ****ing Voldemort sticking out of her head and back. That was a shock.

Maybe if a competent filmmaker or screenwriter were behind this thing because I think there's good ideas here but I was literally laughing at the prison sequence. The vast majority of this movie is unintentionally funny. If you're going to do the Basket Case/Gallo, you need understand the material your paying homage to. When Ti West made House of the Devil, he tried to make that movie as authentic to that era as possible and it's a better film for it. He didn't load it up with piss poor CGI, Murder Fu and a soundtrack that sounds like B Sides from the Spawn film from 97.

There is very little cgi in this. Gabriel is makeup, puppetry, and in camera as far as I know. The only obvious cgi is the vision transitions, and those are few.

The soundtrack is the sort Wan favored in his early films. Wan has been very mainstream since Insidious, but he went back to his roots with this film.

And you're supposed to think the prison sequence is absurd or silly. This is a pulpy creature feature with over the top elements. If you're taking this stuff seriously you're approaching this film all wrong. Pretty much everything Gabriel does in this film is him taking the piss, and deliberately being over the top.

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

Regarding the twist:

Spoiler

I figured out Gabriel and Madison were conjoined twins when the old man was killed and it showed Gabriel's messed up face. Then I connected that with the doctor in the opening scene saying, "Time to cut the cancer out." and connected those two things with the back of Madison's head being focused on repeatedly and constantly bleeding. I figured Gabriel was connected to the back of her head face first and cutting him away left him with a mutilated "face".

In the VHS video when Gabriel is knocked out and young Madison is being questioned by the doctor I expected the camera to either pan around and reveal Gabriel or Gabriel's arms would reach around Madison and embrace her in a creepy way.

What I didn't expect at all was Wan to pan the camera around and reveal ****ing Voldemort sticking out of her head and back. That was a shock.

There is very little cgi in this. Gabriel is makeup, puppetry, and in camera as far as I know. The only obvious cgi is the vision transitions, and those are few.

The soundtrack is the sort Wan favored in his early films. Wan has been very mainstream since Insidious, but he went back to his roots with this film.

And you're supposed to think the prison sequence is absurd or silly. This is a pulpy creature feature with over the top elements. If you're taking this stuff seriously you're approaching this film all wrong. Pretty much everything Gabriel does in this film is him taking the piss, and deliberately being over the top.

I completely understand what he's trying to do with this movie, he just failed miserably at it. I'm a huge fan of Basket Case, but that type of film is a time and a place and it's incredibly hard to deliberately replicate. The transitions are a major part of the films gimmick so it definitely matters. They could have executed the same idea with splicing or light and shadow and it would have been far more effective instead they went the Transformers vomit route. Also **** James Wan's "roots." The music and sound design are laughably bad. Good "bad movies" happen organically, they're not forced. Nine times out of 10, the people behind them think they have actual cinematic gold, but in reality, it's a glorious mess. When you set out to make schlock, it usually falls flat which I feel is the case here.

I understand that people will defend Wan's films regardless because he's one of the closest filmmakers we have to a modern "Master of Horror," but his work just doesn't do it for me. I actually think his Saw writing partner, Leigh Whannel, is a far more interesting filmmaker so far. I appreciate Wan's enthusiasm, but that's about it.

 

[Prison Mike]

Spoiler

I’m glad she survived that police station scene

 

[Da-Scribe]

I enjoyed this flick mostly. Annabelle Wallis was solid until her last couple of scenes which had me just rolling my eyes with the dialogue.

Wan is an interesting filmmaker. Between Furious 7, Aquaman, and now Malignant you can tell he has an affinity for cheese. And it's the sorta thing you'll either love or hate.

 

[TheGDBatman]

This might be contrarian, but I really enjoyed the movie up until the police station scene. The creepiness, the mystery, etc, really drew me in (even if it felt a bit obvious). Once it went straight to gore-ville, I hopped off the train. The third act just didn't wrap things up in a satisfying manner for me.

Not unhappy that I watched it, but it certainly left me wishing it lived up to my enjoyment of the first 50-67% of the movie.

As others have mentioned, I LOVED the way the antagonist moved. It was so damn creepy and unique.

 

[samsnee]

The last act reminded me of cheesy 80s body horror movies which left a smile on my face the whole time.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Leigh Whannel, is a far more interesting filmmaker so far. I appreciate Wan's enthusiasm, but that's about it.

Spoiler: Whannel movie and Wan movie spoiler

Upgrade is also similar but a better movie IMO.

There's some good stuff in Malignant like the action or the rollercoaster ride of the various turns but it just slightly comes up short for me of something I'd want to go out of my way to see again. I'm not that negative on it.

 

[Dave McFly]

cannot tell you much I loved this part (no spoilers)

 

[Joe Von Zombie]

Spoiler: Whannel movie and Wan movie spoiler

Upgrade is also similar but a better movie IMO.

There's some good stuff in Malignant like the action or the rollercoaster ride of the various turns but it just slightly comes up short for me of something I'd want to go out of my way to see again. I'm not that negative on it.

Eh I think I'm so bothered by it because I hate wasted potential and I feel like this movie is littered with it. There's good ideas here but the execution is abysmal. I 100% agree that

Spoiler

Upgrade utilizes these ideas better. It's also a better Venom movie than the one we got.

 

[Kane52630]

The last act reminded me of cheesy 80s body horror movies which left a smile on my face the whole time.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I am genuinely curious how much better this would have done at the box office if it had been billed as being from the Conjuring universe.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I doubt it would have done any better since James Wan's name was all over the marketing anyways, but I am surprised it didn't do better since it pretty much looked like another Conjuring/Insidious type horror film atleast from the first trailer which I'm glad ended up being pretty misleading for the most part.

At the end of the day I do hope more casual horror fans give this movie a chance even if they don't end up liking it, because it deserves to be seen atleast once for that crazy asf ending IMO.

I'm just floored that Warner Bros let Wan actually make something like this with a $40 million dollar budget, but obviously he's built up alot of great credit with the studio which is understandable.

It sucks that its not doing better, but I'm sure it will become a cult classic at some point over the next couple of years and one of those horror films that people always talk about it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I doubt it would have done any better since James Wan's name was all over the marketing anyways, but I am surprised it didn't do better since it pretty much looked like another Conjuring/Insidious type horror film atleast from the first trailer which I'm glad ended up being pretty misleading for the most part.

At the end of the day I do hope more casual horror fans give this movie a chance even if they don't end up liking it, because it deserves to be seen atleast once for that crazy asf ending IMO.

I'm just floored that Warner Bros let Wan actually make something like this with a $40 million dollar budget, but obviously he's built up alot of great credit with the studio which is understandable.

It sucks that its not doing better, but I'm sure it will become a cult classic at some point over the next couple of years and one of those horror films that people always talk about it.

I love Wan, but his name doesn't have more pull then the Conjuring name imo.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Marvolo]

Get rekt.

 

[Kane52630]

Gabriel said ACAB and he meant that sh**.

 

[Dave McFly]

that and the entire bit at the police station was BRUTAL!

 

[Ninjablade]

When Gabriel throws his mighty chair, all those who oppose his chair must beware

 

[Da-Scribe]

I hollered when he chucked that damn chair.

 

[antsman41]

WTF did I just watch. This was so stupid, but I respect it.

The little things make it for me…

 

[TheVileOne]

I completely understand what he's trying to do with this movie, he just failed miserably at it. I'm a huge fan of Basket Case, but that type of film is a time and a place and it's incredibly hard to deliberately replicate. The transitions are a major part of the films gimmick so it definitely matters. They could have executed the same idea with splicing or light and shadow and it would have been far more effective instead they went the Transformers vomit route. Also **** James Wan's "roots." The music and sound design are laughably bad. Good "bad movies" happen organically, they're not forced. Nine times out of 10, the people behind them think they have actual cinematic gold, but in reality, it's a glorious mess. When you set out to make schlock, it usually falls flat which I feel is the case here.

I understand that people will defend Wan's films regardless because he's one of the closest filmmakers we have to a modern "Master of Horror," but his work just doesn't do it for me. I actually think his Saw writing partner, Leigh Whannel, is a far more interesting filmmaker so far. I appreciate Wan's enthusiasm, but that's about it.

I still find the original Saw to be a horrible, poorly shot and made film, but I did like the Conjuring and Insidious movies for the most part. I haven't seen Malignant yet, but it did seem like James Wan matured as a director over time.

That said I'm confused why he made a movie like this when he could probably do any movie he wants these days.

 

[Closerframe]

I understand Wan’s intention and the era he’s paying homage to, it just wasn’t for me. Too many parts were unintentionally laughable and some of the cgi—particularly the “castle” just looked out of place.

 

[Kane52630]

They were pretty intentional tho.

 

[samsnee]

I still find the original Saw to be a horrible, poorly shot and made film, but I did like the Conjuring and Insidious movies for the most part. I haven't seen Malignant yet, but it did seem like James Wan matured as a director over time.

That said I'm confused why he made a movie like this when he could probably do any movie he wants these days.

You answered your own question. He wanted to make a movie like this and the studio let’s him make whatever he wants.