Malignant (2021)
Directed by James Wan
Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities with a mysterious tie to her past.
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37 films that influenced Malignant
What critics say influenced Malignant
It's not long before Malignant starts to recall old-time favorites like Brian De Palma's Sisters (1973) and Frank Henenlotter's Basket Case (1982), as well as any other number of supernatural slashers and terrifying tales of imaginary friends (there's even a nod to old "women in prison" movies).
At times the film recalls cult classics including Frank Henenlotter’s “Basket Case” and Tobe Hooper’s “Lifeforce” but also science fiction from the decade.
There are influences at play that range from Lucio Fulci, Hammer Horror, Re-Animator (1985), The Evil Dead (1981), Basket Case (1982), and a plethora of others.
It's not long before Malignant starts to recall old-time favorites like Brian De Palma's Sisters (1973) and Frank Henenlotter's Basket Case (1982), as well as any other number of supernatural slashers and terrifying tales of imaginary friends (there's even a nod to old "women in prison" movies).
“Malignant” boasts “body horror” that recalls the best of David Cronenberg from “The Fly” (1986) to “Dead Ringers” (1988), the latter of which would make a great companion piece if you have time to rent it.
As interesting as it would have been to see Wan grappling with that particular tonality, Malignant’ s aims are un-ironic: it seeks to unite what Wan clearly sees as twin strands of horror cinema: the ‘body horror’ conveyed masterfully by David Cronenberg in classics like The Fly (1986) and Shivers (1975), and the Italian giallo cinema of the 1960s and 70s, helmed by filmmakers like Dario Argento ( Suspiria ) and Mario Bava ( Black Sunday ).
At times the film recalls cult classics including Frank Henenlotter’s “Basket Case” and Tobe Hooper’s “Lifeforce” but also science fiction from the decade.
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While the beginning of the feature film promised the appearance of a “monster” like that of the brilliant Phenomena of Dario Argento, he finally plays more on the concept of double evil, like The Spirit of Cain Where The Dark Part .
“Malignant” boasts “body horror” that recalls the best of David Cronenberg from “The Fly” (1986) to “Dead Ringers” (1988), the latter of which would make a great companion piece if you have time to rent it.
My favorite horror movies are the ones from the '80s that embraced wild, crazy concepts -- A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Return of the Living Dead , Night of the Demons , Phantasm II , etc. Malignant reminded me of those pictures.
With a screenplay written by Akela Cooper (Wan and his wife, Ingrid Bisu, receive co-story credit), Malignant opens with a self-aware, nodding-at-the-audience prologue set inside the confines of a so-called research hospital straight out of a 19th-century gothic horror story or the underappreciated House on Haunted Hill remake directed by William Malone.
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“Malignant” reminds me of a less inventive and less disturbing version of David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome” with a touch of Wes Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
“Malignant” reminds me of a less inventive and less disturbing version of David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome” with a touch of Wes Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”