Malignant is the new horror film by James Wan, the director who created the Conjuring and Insidious franchises. From that pedigree, I was expecting a better movie.
The story starts in a mental hospital in the early 90s. A difficult patient, Gabriel is attacking the staff. The doctor treating him, Dr. Florence Weaver (Jacqueline McKenzie) has had enough, she says it’s time to “cut out the cancer”. Then the story shifts to the present.
Maddie (Annabelle Wallis) is a pregnant woman with a terrible husband. One night he throws her against the wall and she hits her head. That same night he is mysteriously murdered. Then shortly after Doctor Weaver is also killed. Maddie was adopted from the same hospital and Doctor Weaver was also her doctor. She has a connection to Gabriel that she can’t remember. But no one else believes that Gabriel exists, so Maddie is the prime suspect in the murders. But she is convinced that Gabriel did it. I can’t say much more without spoiling it.
There are some good scares, moody horror set-pieces, and some really interesting shots. But there are also things like domestic violence, violence against pregnant women, and grotesque surgery. I’m sure even big horror fans may be disturbed by some of those images.
Really, I thought this was a well-made horror movie up until the reveal. It was so stupid it ruined the entire movie. After the reveal there is also one scene that is a bizarre tonal shift; it doesn’t mesh at all with the rest of the movie.
I can’t recommend this movie, even if you’re a big horror fan or a big fan of James Wan. This is an HBO Go.