Read Mixed User Reviews for Malignant

4

CarlElmoreNov 24, 2022

James Wan's direction is the best thing about this but other than that, it's not that great bar one scene which is absolutely hilarious.

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4

anfeherle89Feb 17, 2022

very boring story, i know this is a movie, this is fiction, this is not real, but the stories in the movies must be nice, a lot of absurd screams, bad actuations and a villian that you can not undersntad, the end is very very bad!!!

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5

d0vla11Dec 14, 2021

There's an interesting story idea that is moving throughout the movie, but it is so poorly delivered that i would hardly recommend anyone to watch this movie.

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5

Mosherman1Nov 19, 2021

This movie has great action and horror shots, but the interactions between actors seems super fake. It's like a movie like Sharknado got a massive budget for post production and realistic props, but kept the same horrible acting. Most of theThis movie has great action and horror shots, but the interactions between actors seems super fake. It's like a movie like Sharknado got a massive budget for post production and realistic props, but kept the same horrible acting. Most of the timing is predictable, the character's choices are incredibly unrealistic, and the jump scares get old super fast. Definitely a forgettable horror movie.… Expand

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5

iCampoRamilNov 8, 2021

No sé qué le pasa a James Wan pero sus películas solo bajan y bajan de nivel. Aunque entiendo esta propuesta.
La peli es curiosa, rozando lo interesante, tiene ese toque de misterio y suspense, pero creo que se le va algo de las manos,No sé qué le pasa a James Wan pero sus películas solo bajan y bajan de nivel. Aunque entiendo esta propuesta.
La peli es curiosa, rozando lo interesante, tiene ese toque de misterio y suspense, pero creo que se le va algo de las manos, situaciones muy surrealistas y ridículas, que te sacan de la película, es todo muy raro, aunque el concepto, lo dicho, es interesante. Además, las actuaciones no ayudan mucho a meterte en la película, para mí, un mal reparto.

· Cosas buenas: Tiene buenos momentos, el concepto es interesante, bizarro, la acción es de lo mejorcito, y los momentos de terror sabe lograrlos.
· Cosas malas: Tanto tiene momentos buenos como muy ridículos, diálogos vacíos y una historia difícil de encajar, es una peli de guilty pleasure, de ver con amigos, de risas, pero sin más.
· Conclusión: Entiendo su homenaje al cine bizarro de los 80s, pero justo en el momento en el que la vi, para mi no encajaba, y sigue sin encajar, aunque deja momentos chulos, y seguro que se va a convertir en una de esas míticas de este género bizarril, pero deja mucho que desear.… Expand

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5

paltareinaNov 5, 2021

it's camp, but also very bad. but it's camp, so maybe it's not that bad, but it truly is.

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5

BulgarianCriticOct 20, 2021

For me this movie was just a more zany and wacky modern version of Jekyll and Hyde. The beginning and middle parts were pretty slow making you think this was more of the serious horror but by the end it became an action packed matrix battleFor me this movie was just a more zany and wacky modern version of Jekyll and Hyde. The beginning and middle parts were pretty slow making you think this was more of the serious horror but by the end it became an action packed matrix battle movie(which for me was actually the most fun part)with an alright story but not that well of a payoff.… Expand

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4

theredskyOct 9, 2021

A film that I would like a lot more if it didn’t feel like it wanted to be a serious horror film. That’s my biggest issue with this. Sometimes it feels like it’s homaging the shock value horror films of the 70s and 80s and sometimes it feelsA film that I would like a lot more if it didn’t feel like it wanted to be a serious horror film. That’s my biggest issue with this. Sometimes it feels like it’s homaging the shock value horror films of the 70s and 80s and sometimes it feels like it’s trying to be a serious horror film. If it was going for that first one, then they did a terrible job at trying to present it that way. If it had just stuck with that tone, then the score for this would be much higher. James Wan’s visual style is definitely on point here. The camerawork is great and the transition of visual effects between scenes looks great. It’s the story here that is the problem. It’s incredibly nonsensical and I can’t tell if it’s trying to be like that or not. The performances are fine. No one is doing anything outstanding although you can tell that some performances are very over the top which I did like. I didn’t think there was an awful performance though. The use of gore is kind of cool sometimes but the action scenes are hilariously nonsensical. There is one Police Station action scene that is hilariously bad. The film being enjoyable is another compliment I can give it. I was definitely having a blast watching this one. The plot twist at the end is what showed me the two conflicting ideas for this. It’s hilarious and awkward and I think that’s what it’s going for but the rest of the film takes itself so seriously that I can’t tell if that’s what it was trying to do. If you want a weird, campy, and hilariously bad horror film then I would definitely recommend this but I would suggest watching it with friends like I did.… Expand

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5

doebreiOct 1, 2021

Fun to put on with an interesting twist. Nothing crazy our amazing, but an entertaining time for most of it.

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4

xplicit_03Sep 29, 2021

James Wan forgets how to SCARE... 1st act is a haunted house film - but offers literally no scares... I'm not sure how this is possible, as imo, Wan is the BEST of our generation for this... The film flip flops between, buddy cop comedy (notJames Wan forgets how to SCARE... 1st act is a haunted house film - but offers literally no scares... I'm not sure how this is possible, as imo, Wan is the BEST of our generation for this... The film flip flops between, buddy cop comedy (not funny), a weird action film and some body horror (which is actually kind of cool). I wish Wan stuck to what he does best, and if he offered MORE SCARES (ITS A HORROR MOVIE) I would have liked this film so much more... PS. I actually loved the twist!… Expand

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6

mrc_brnSep 27, 2021

Thoroughly enjoyed this deeply flawed, but very entertaining movie. While technically a horror movie, it's definitely not very scary. It teeters on the silly in fact. I really doesn't know what it wants to be. But there's a hard to put myThoroughly enjoyed this deeply flawed, but very entertaining movie. While technically a horror movie, it's definitely not very scary. It teeters on the silly in fact. I really doesn't know what it wants to be. But there's a hard to put my finger on energy in the story telling that kept me watching with a not small amount of pleasure. If only to yell out 'come on, that's ridiculous' more than once. Particularly all of the police who apparently all graduated from the star wars stormtroopers school of shooting.… Expand

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6

BeardedYodaSep 26, 2021

If there is one thing that I can definitively say about this film, it is that it's unique. The aesthetics, cinematography, choreography, and creature design are all exceptional and are very enjoyable. However, the plot is wanting. At times itIf there is one thing that I can definitively say about this film, it is that it's unique. The aesthetics, cinematography, choreography, and creature design are all exceptional and are very enjoyable. However, the plot is wanting. At times it is hard to tell what type of story Malignant wants to tell. Does it want to be cheesy or dramatic? Who is to say. That, combined with some plot issues, brings down the film as a whole. That being said, despite my lower score, I definitely recommend watching the movie if you have an HBO Max subscription or when its cheap to rent. One action scene in particular was absolutely insane to watch and really shows that this film does have some bits of gold in it.… Expand

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4

mckeeartandtoysSep 21, 2021

The story was different. It started out good, but some things were oddly annoying, like the music that played before a scene ended. What was that? I would have never anticipated the ending. It had me to wondering and second-guessing myselfThe story was different. It started out good, but some things were oddly annoying, like the music that played before a scene ended. What was that? I would have never anticipated the ending. It had me to wondering and second-guessing myself until the end. However, the twist of the story was a little silly and far-fetched for me.… Expand

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4

Brent_MarchantSep 18, 2021

Given the overlong, deadly serious nature of the story's slow-paced, dreadfully dull, cliche-ridden buildup, I soon found myself watching the clock, waiting for this one to end and wondering what additional tedium I'd be subjected to in theGiven the overlong, deadly serious nature of the story's slow-paced, dreadfully dull, cliche-ridden buildup, I soon found myself watching the clock, waiting for this one to end and wondering what additional tedium I'd be subjected to in the concluding sequence. Much to my surprise, however, the film actually gets better in its end run by turning into a gloriously campy romp that had me in stitches the rest of the way. In fact, that drastic change in tone made me wonder why director James Wan hadn't handled it as such all the way through from the beginning; it would have made for a much, much better film. However, the picture's initial attempt at being "serious drama" falls flat on its ass and only gets better when it decides to take itself far less seriously. In the interest of full disclosure, I should add that I'm not much of a horror movie fan, because I find it's an art form that's truly difficult to do well, with most contemporary offerings falling prey to material that's not especially scary or descending into gore fests aimed at seeing how high the body count can get. With some retooling, this one might have succeeded at doing something distinctly different and genuinely entertaining. But, as it stands now, this is destined to become a midnight show cult classic that's probably best watched blitzed out of one's mind.… Expand

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5

edelgardvonhresSep 18, 2021

James Wan's Malignant is a narrative whodunit that shows off some impressive visuals and a twist that while could be gathered from the beginning is still a shocking and well executed turn, followed by an absolutely wild final act. And thenJames Wan's Malignant is a narrative whodunit that shows off some impressive visuals and a twist that while could be gathered from the beginning is still a shocking and well executed turn, followed by an absolutely wild final act. And then you watch it again and it all falls apart and you can pick it apart and see that all the tricks and smoke and mirrors and glossy attractions that had doctored your first viewing aren't actually as good as they once seemed. I know it is meant to evoke the schlocky 70's and 80's era of B Movies that you are supposed to find funny with their ridiculous antics, but if that was the true intention of the movie then it should have been advertised as such instead of an intense murder mystery. That's not to say that it isn't fun, of course. It is still worth the one viewing and some people may end up adoring the movie and it's unique killer and style. Overall, it's an average movie that doesn't hold up after the first viewing and becomes an almost monotonous rewatch.… Expand

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4

JLuis_001Sep 16, 2021

James Wan's Bogeyman, who likes to sharpen things like the red-faced monster from Insidious.

Yes, it's more gruesome when it comes to violence, but everything Wan has done before is here, especially what he did in Insidious. From theJames Wan's Bogeyman, who likes to sharpen things like the red-faced monster from Insidious.

Yes, it's more gruesome when it comes to violence, but everything Wan has done before is here, especially what he did in Insidious.

From the uninspired jump scares, always showing someone behind the character in the scene, along with the predictable formulaic music by Joseph Bishara, which leads you in every way.
To the story of the main character who repressed a sinister past, who is also forced to confront it with hypnosis.

Even the sets that involve the monster, at some points seem straight out of The Further.
You know, if it's not dark, dirty, and dilapidated, it doesn't work.

Malignant it's very long, repetitive, and painfully predictable.
Won't even talk about the lazy performances, nor the missing payoff from its conclusion.

Wan sold Warner some kind of modified rehash of his old tricks, and they bought it as a high-caliber film.
Gotta respect him for it.… Expand

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6

ThisGuy1Sep 13, 2021

There is enjoyment to be had in watching this film. It is campy. It is not as scary as some of Wan's previous work. However, there is an element of horror to it that is somewhat unsettling. I loved the twist. It definitely subvertedThere is enjoyment to be had in watching this film. It is campy. It is not as scary as some of Wan's previous work. However, there is an element of horror to it that is somewhat unsettling. I loved the twist. It definitely subverted expectations. And, although there are aspects that I don't understand, the twist makes sense when looking back at the rest of the movie. I wish the third act would have been a little more Alien and a little less Aliens, but it worked in a B-movie kind of way. I think most "fans" of James Wan who gave this low scores need to re-watch his previous horror films. All of them have varying degrees of "camp/cheese" to them. Malignant wasn't too far off what Wan regularly delivers. I sincerely hope Wan continues to do horror films, now that he's "in demand." He's has shown flashes of David Fincher (Saw vs Se7en), Wes Craven (Dead Silence vs A Nightmare on Elm Street), and a mix of William Friedkin and Steven Spielberg (both Insidious and Conjuring films vs The Exorcist and Poltergeist). Malignant has aspects of David Cronenberg and John Carpenter. The more I think about this film, the more I like it.… Expand

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5

itsanopinionSep 12, 2021

By no means was this movie scary, the police station scene was ridiculous. I thought the idea for the antagonist was clever but got a little out of hand. The ending was bleak.

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6

YusashiSep 11, 2021

Something new from James Wan which is cool. An Ok-ish movie fun to watch with a cool twist.

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5

Stream2BigScreeSep 11, 2021

Alright, alright, alright, alright. We're back with the early Halloween season spooks with Malignant. This film is being released in theaters and on HBO Max for 30 days. If you haven't heard of this film, or not a horror fan, the trailer isAlright, alright, alright, alright. We're back with the early Halloween season spooks with Malignant. This film is being released in theaters and on HBO Max for 30 days. If you haven't heard of this film, or not a horror fan, the trailer is below. In Malignant, Madison becomes paralyzed by violence in her life and the shocking visions of gruesome murders. She is tormented by these events that turn out to be more than just visions. What's her connection and why should we watch? I'll get to that.

As you can see from the trailer, Madison is going through it with these visions/malevolent entity (Gabriel) and so are the victims. That's actually a part of the movie that succeeds. It is not just that you feel stuck in the visions or that you feel a part of the scenes, but the film does a really good job of following Gabriel. In fact, they do so well at it that I started to root for Gabriel in these scenes. Now that I think about it, that might be a negative. Ah, well. Other than the physics of Gabriel's movements, my guy is possibly the most athletic villain of all time and he really brings the pain. The problem with Gabriel and the movie is unlike The Conjuring, we have no clue where his powers come from. It's literally the most random thing in the world, unexplained and just perplexing. I mean even in the final explanation of the the story I sat there and said, "Why would they think this would work? This makes no sense." Nevertheless, we come to movies to suspend belief and that is what I had to do. That's a mixed bad and probably the only reason to watch this movie. Let's see the bad guy go wild and be confused why this is even possible while doing it.

While saying that, I do appreciate the original perspective Malignant brings on malevolent entities in the horror world. What I don't appreciate is the lack of scares in this flick. The movie starts off in one realm and we just end somewhere completely different. I think we've gone in the paranormal, ghost, demon, monster bag a bit too much recently. This gives us slasher, with a semi-demon, and psychological thriller all mashed in one. I'm not mad at what they tried to do, but the execution of continuity is just non-existent. In writing this film, the addition of a scene or two ,or even a line or two, could've fixed the holes in the understanding of Gabriel. Nothing could've fixed the physics though. But, what that tells me is there's room to grow/expand upon in the series. I'm not certain there will be a second film, but I can see how something could break through again with James Wan leading it. The Conjuring series has been so popular that they might just give Malignant a follow-up. I'd ask for the whole cast to be changed excepted for the lady cop but that might be asking too much.

Malignant is a strangely bad but pleasing early Halloween season movie. From all of the commercials and trailers, I feel a bit mislead by Malignant. Then, the title and title sequence gives away a lot more than you need to know. The story is executed in an original way which actually is quite pleasing but also quite ridiculous. Viewers have to give in to the absurdity and impractical physics of the human body for you to truly enjoy this flick. I think horror fans will be a bit disappointed in the scares in the movie but still entertained by the violence. They should grab a handful of popcorn to enjoy the spectacle. General viewers, who may just have HBO Max, this movie is only scary for about 10 minutes altogether, so if you can get past those parts, you might enjoy rolling your eyes at some bloody and ridiculous scenes and faces, under duress.… Expand

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4

sabbathSep 11, 2021

Anything over a 5 rating is flat out someone selling the film. James Wan shows very little of his ability in this pretty boring horror film. The script is standard fare at best. We’ve seen similar so many times; often better executed. TheAnything over a 5 rating is flat out someone selling the film. James Wan shows very little of his ability in this pretty boring horror film. The script is standard fare at best. We’ve seen similar so many times; often better executed. The scares are cheap and tired. It gets a 4 rating only because of some nice visuals and set pieces. And for those saying it’s a homage to 80’s horror, well just go back and watch one of those. You’re wasting your time with this one.… Expand

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5

ScienceAdvisorSep 11, 2021

Technically this is great, however it completely fails as a horror and is a schizophrenic comedy without any apparent structure. It is not scary in the least, and it makes no sense. It was like a child with ADHD was asked to tell a storyTechnically this is great, however it completely fails as a horror and is a schizophrenic comedy without any apparent structure. It is not scary in the least, and it makes no sense. It was like a child with ADHD was asked to tell a story while they were high on Halloween candy. The downside is that the 'story' is incoherent, trying to be everything at all times with reason. This leads to dialogue and motivation that the director could not handle, and the acting appear to be poor, yet if you have seen enough bad movies, you know these actors and actresses are doing the best with the material they have. Some are comparing Malignant to Evil Dead series, but that is a superficial comparison as that classic series had an infinite amount of structure compared to this.

The real shock is that this does have a lot of fun moments, and may be worth a watch if you are into these movies. This does not change the fact that it is not a good movie. A lot of reviewers fall into the trap of thinking that if they like it, it must be at least a 7. This is quite possibly one of those movies, where it is objectively not very good based on what it wanted to accomplish, but is entertaining in unintentional ways that elevate it.
Just be prepared to have a bit of a headache, and the need to mutter WTF over and over, after the movie ends. The twist is highly predicable, but due to the pathological need to do nothing in the standard method, you will never guess how it is carried out. If there was any logic to this, then the cast could actually follow and give a more grounded performance (again this in on the director, not them). So hopefully when this gets a sequel, it will try to be a bit more coherent while acknowledging it was an accidental comedy, and leaning into that.

5/10 - Objectively
7/10 - Subjectively (which may change once my brain heals and I give it a second watch)… Expand

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