- Date of Release: 10 September 2021
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Language: English
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Malignant
RATING
Introduction
Yes, I know I had promised a review of the Telugu film Net on Zee5. The reason for having to unfortunately discard it was that Zee5 did not have English subtitles for it(as of Sunday) and without that it was a no show to me. This is not the first time that Zee5 has Not provided subtitles – it had happened with the Malayalam film Operation Java too. Anyway, lers hope they reinstate the English subtitles soon. With Net out of the way, I decided to catch up on another Horror Film Malignant which was directed by the Director of The Conjuring 1 and 2 and Saw, James Wan. This was the sole reason to get me curious as the director returned after a while to the horror genre. A couple of weeks back, I had reviewed The Conjuring 3 which was a rather forgettable installment in a famous franchise. The thing with horror is that unless you try and experiment, the genre becomes routine and cliched. The creaking doors and sudden jump scares quite honestly don’t scare me much(it never did). But some good atmospherics would definitely hold my attention. That said is malignant worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Malignant follows the story of a woman who gets nightmares of grizzly murders being committed. To her surprise, the murders are a reality. What is the catch? It is a demonic spirit or something else? The story here is outrageous and far fatched, but extremely entertaining. I did not know what to expect from the movie before taking the plunge and Inwould suggest you do the same. The proceedings are silly but they will keep you entertained throughout. The opening sequences is pretty interesting and sets up the pace for a good scare fest. The scenes that follow make you even more curious behind the mystery. Please note that the horror scenes aren’t too scary but the way they are picturised and executed is what holds your attention throughout. This is a classic 80s slasher Italian horror with an outrageous yet indigenious concept. The twists and turns will keep you hooked and booked. Once the mystery is revealed you might question the logic but such is the journey that you may not really mind it as you definitely didn’t see it coming. Anything else that I say might act as a spoiler which I wouldn’t want to give out. All in all a silly yet supremely entertaining screenplay.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are pretty good and hold the scenes together. You do need a good BGM in a horror flick which should not be overdone. And here the BGM is a perfect foil to the scene, used just in the right amount. The camerawork is exceptional here and the editing is top notch. Director James Wan does a terrific job here. You can almost see the amount of skills which he possesses to pull off an outrageous script, something that was indeed missing in The Conjuring 3. He seems at home here and we can’t be more happy!
Performances
The performances are pretty good. George Young as Kekoa Shaw is terrific and has some good screenpresence. Michole Briana White aa Regina Moss shines in an extended cameo. Maddie Hasson as Sydney is first rate. And Annabelle Wallis as Madison is simply outstanding especially towards the end.
Conclusion
Malignant is an outrageous concept that is executed in a supremely entertaining manner and definitely a notch better than The Conjuring 3. Available in a theatre near you or in a pay per view on HBO max.