Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
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.
Malignant is a wildly singular piece of gonzo horror filmmaking from James Wan. Its cinematography is genuinely exceptional — swooping overhead shots, inventive blocking, and a kinetic visual language that feels unlike almost anything else in mainstream horror. Its central conceit is memorably bizarre and deeply committed, earning high marks for novelty as a deranged love letter to Italian giallo filtered through body horror excess. The plot holds together reasonably well as a pulpy mystery with a genuinely shocking third-act twist, though the script strains under its own absurdity and some exposition is clunky. Acting is the clear weak point — performances range from serviceable to wooden, undercutting the emotional stakes. The ending delivers on spectacle and escalation but the resolution feels slightly rushed after such a wild revelation, landing as satisfying rather than masterful.