This was so cheesy and campy. I really loved it. Regular moviegoers in the audience were completely confused because Wan added melodrama and classic bombastic film scoring. They went in expecting scary film and got an ode to retro trash. A bold choice to release this wide but it worked.
Yeah, I love how wonderfully 80:s trashy it got, in the last act. I was laughing out loud, during the jailscene
Watched this last night & really wanted to like it...that did not happen. The excessive CGI was just too over the top for my tastes, especially when Madison has her visions. The story got far more ridiculous once you get to watch the old VHS videotapes, leading to a twist that did nothing for either of us. Lots of gore in the final 20 minutes, but both of us already felt like we checked out on this film. Left open for a sequel, which comes as no surprise. One viewing of Malignant was enough. I much prefer the first Conjuring film over this.
Not surprising, since it was available to stream on day one, and it's not yet another stupid superhero movie The trailer was pretty misleading as well, as it made it seem like a more serious movie, instead of the campy fun that it really was. People probably though it was yet another supernatural ghost movie.
I don't know how the HBO Max model works, my presumption is you pay a premium to watch these titles (as per Disney +) so there is an additional avenue for revenue that doesn't seem to get covered when talking about takings etc.
I can't wait to watch this one again. So much fun. 100000x better than anything that bullshit Conjuring "universe" has to offer. Spoiler when you see Gabriel's little arms on her backside, I almost lost it. Fucking hysterical and gross at the same time
I also loved the Spoiler action scene in the police station, when it basically went into old-school Hong Kong mayhem There sure was some impressive physical stuntwork in the movie.
Agree that this one is pretty fun and campy when it finally kicks into high gear, and unexpected from a mainstream studio picture, but the first 2/3rds are pretty dry. Aside from some bland acting and a story that steals from far better films, this one also suffers a bit from Wan's by-the-numbers aesthetic - his home interiors and set-ups definitely have a look and are basically interchangeable in his filmography (those tiny 3-story Victorian homes sure are rather spacious inside!). I may sound like I'm giving it a pretty hard time, as I did rate it a 3/5, but those nitpicks are just based on how similar all his work looks and feels as they all kinda blend together. But overall Malignant is still worth checking out as it's change of pace for Wan and was fun to see him doing something different (yet the same) and campy, but it's not something I'll probably ever revisit.
Why so Blu review: https://whysoblu.com/james-wans-malignant-is-delightfully-bonkers-movie-review/ Screen Anarchy review: https://screenanarchy.com/2021/09/review-malignant-james-wan-returns-to-the-genre-that-made-him.html
Re-watched it last night, with a bunch of like minded gorehounds, and we haven't had this much fun with a new horror movie in along time. It was even funnier watching it with people, who hadn't seen it yet, knowing the crazy shit that was about to happen. Their reactions were hilarious I hope he continues to make crazy movies like this.
It's cool that so many of you enjoyed this film. It just didn't work for me. I was never invested in any of the characters therefore I was never concerned about their fate.
That was definitely a factor for me. Some stupid decision making from characters didn't help; like one going to an abandoned asylum that looked like something from The House on Haunted Hill on their own. Also a bit sick of some groups trying to say those that don't like the film don't get or like "camp". I do enjoy camp when done well. This film just played it too straight for a lot of its runtime which led to those campy moments feeling jarring.
I don't know why anyone would say if you don't like a film it's because you don't understand it or don't appreciate certain aspects of it. Everyone likes different things. That is why I've loved film my entire life. There is so much to choose from. Often I find myself disagreeing with the majority when it comes to film but to each his own.
This was a perfect missed opportunity for me. The asylum looks awesome, inside and out. I wish they did more with it.
I mean no offence to the general population, but I don't really care what's a box office smash. The films making the most money today are, in my opinion, redundant garbage.
And I agree with you regarding the films making the most money they are garbage, I hate all the marvel crap and don't watch any of that shit now. But you do have to want movies like this to make money, this was bankrolled by a big studio and if it ain't made money they will think twice before investing in something like this again, Meaning we will get 'safe' movies or remakes or they just won't invest in the genre.
Yes, this was mis-marketed, but I don't know if it was accurate if it would do any better. A shame really.
Well, I didn't like it as much as I hoped. But there were definitely enough entertaining bits to make it enjoyable. It's didn't really have much of the "Italian" vibe I was looking for, though the police station set did come close. And it does have an overuse of fast zooms that, while true to its predecessors, was not one of the better traits to mimic. I thought the acting was acceptable. The score was pulling from some notable Goblin vibes, but never really commanded the attention that some of the better Italian scores pulled. A lot of it probably sounded better in concept than it came off in execution, particularly with the creature design. The joints/limbs were actually more confusing than unsettling and with the way the creature is clothed, I ended up spending good portions just trying to figure out what was technically going on, instead of just being able to admire the design. And the prolonged "kung fu" segments really seemed unnecessary and diminished the threat for me by turning the scenes more into something from an action film. And, the big twist, while definitely an interesting idea, just wasn't delivered well. I think part of that is because it's sandwiched in a scene where we are actually rooting for the villain so it diminishes any of the creepiness. It also didn't help that the twist bears a strong resemblance to a moderately well know Japanese film, which I'll cover so as not to ruin the surprise for either film Spoiler It's Evil Dead Trap. Oddly another attempt at capturing that Italian vibe The biggest thing that annoyed me though was the ending. This has usually been a weakness for Wan. It seems many of his films try to end on this note of overcoming your fears making you stronger. The characters are now more empowered through their experience or something like that. It really ruined the last half of Insidious for me and it gets pretty close to tanking this one. His characters just aren't deep enough to make these sorts of transitions work. So, the last few shots of this one were pushing painful/ridiculous with all the hugs and emotional affirmations. But, despite all my picking at it, the film is fun. It moves very quickly. There are plenty of surprises in the story. It actually avoids a lot of the cliches in these sorts of films. The cast, while maybe not the best thespians, is very attractive and, in most cases, inject enough personality into the characters to make them enjoyable if still forgettable. I didn't think it was quite the thrill ride of the first Conjuring film. But, it was still a pretty fun way to spend a couple of hours.
I saw this for a second time today. Unsurprisingly, I was the only one in the theater. It's still playing on a large screen at my local 18 plex but I imagine it will be gone soon. The film is well paced, entertaining, and has the incredible, off the wall holding cell/police station scene. There is nice violence and enough scares to satisfy most fans. The film isn't played for comedy which is welcome change for a lot of modern horror films. Anaestheus says the film reminds him of Evil Dead Trap. It's been so long since I've seen that film that I can't comment. I'm surprised no one here compared it to Basket Case which is where I believe it got some inspiration. Hopefully these aren't spoilers. Since the film has been out a few weeks already I figured people that wanted to see it would have by now and I don't know how to use the "spoiler" tag.
