Malignant — James Wan and the Madness of Unleashed Horror

Malignant: full review

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After directing blockbusters like Aquaman and establishing legendary franchises like Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring, James Wan had earned the right to do whatever he wanted. And what he wanted to do was Malignant, an absolute madness that divided audiences between those who saw it as an immediate cult classic and those who felt cheated. At Claqueta Ácida, we stand firmly with the former: Wan has created a beautiful monster of pure, unadulterated entertainment.

The plot starts as a typical haunted house or demonic possession story. Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is pregnant, trapped in an abusive marriage, and lives in a cold, cavernous house in Seattle. After a violent domestic altercation where her husband smashes her head against a wall, a shadowy figure invades their home and brutally murders her husband. Soon, Madison starts having paralyzed, waking nightmares where she physically witnesses horrific murders occurring in real-time. As the police investigation led by Detectives Shaw and Moss progresses, the film begins to mutate. What started as a somber psychological horror film slowly transforms into an extreme homage to Italian Giallo, 80s body horror (Frankenhooker and Basket Case style), and frenetic, physics-defying action cinema.

The brilliance of Malignant lies in Akela Cooper's screenplay and Wan's unapologetic execution. Rather than treating the material with pretentious self-importance, Wan embraces the camp aesthetic with ironclad technical precision. The cinematography by Michael Burgess uses fluid overhead dollies that peer down into rooms as if inspecting a dollhouse, while vibrant neon colors—electric blues, deep crimsons, and sickly greens—echo the golden era of Dario Argento and Mario Bava.

The creature design of Gabriel and his physical portrayal by contortionist Marina Mazepa are nothing short of iconic. Moving with reversed joints, backward limbs, and wielding a sharpened surgical trophy, Gabriel breaks out of horror tropes to become an action-slasher force of nature. The climax in the police holding cell is a breathtaking set-piece of gore and acrobatic violence, reminiscent of John Wick crossed with The Evil Dead.

The Best

• The second half madness: The film completely unhinges in the best possible way, offering unfiltered genre fun.
• James Wan's virtuoso direction: Incredible camera movements, overhead dollies, and vibrant Giallo color palettes.
• The police station sequence: A masterclass in stunt choreography, practical gore, and physical horror.
• The score by Joseph Bishara: A driving soundtrack that blends orchestral dread with industrial synth riffs.

The Worst

• Conventional setup: The first act plays close to generic studio horror tropes before revealing its true nature.
• Tonal whiplash: The sudden shifts between domestic melodrama, campy gore, and action might alienate viewers expecting traditional scares.

The Verdict of Claqueta Ácida (7.8/10)