Fortress of Solitude
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Anime
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Win
No Result
View All Result
POPULAR
  • DC
  • Marvel
  • Superman
  • Batman
  • Star Wars
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi
  • Netflix
FOLLOW US
Newsletter
Fortress of Solitude
FORTRESS
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DC
  • Marvel
  • Superman
  • Batman
  • Star Wars
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi
  • Netflix
Home Movies Movie Reviews

Malignant Movie Review – A Fresh Take on the Horror Genre

Malignant ditches the slasher formula, but it’s not a bad movie. The plot twist leaves you saying, “Wait, what just happened?!”

Sergio PereirabySergio Pereira
September 11, 2021
0
Malignant Review Horror James Wan

The Conjuring director has done it again. James Wan’s latest effort, Malignant, is hands down the best horror movie in a long time. With its dual release on HBO Max and in theatres, it’s been the talking point of the weekend for everyone in the horror community.

Unlike a lot of Wan’s other films, Malignant hasn’t been universally praised or accepted. There are many viewers and critics who say it’s unscary and simply weird. Ironically, those are the same criticisms anyone would have watching A Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th today, since they’re more campy than scary.

RELATED: The Crow (2024) Movie Review – A Soulless Reboot That’s As Bad As Everyone Predicted

Malignant movie

Horror films and camp go together like candy and Halloween. Not every single movie needs to be a deep psychological cut that’ll spiral you into endless nightmares and trauma for weeks on end. Sometimes, it’s okay to have Freddy Krueger cracking memorable one-liners or seeing Jason carve up people on a spaceship. There’s a place for fun in horror, and that’s something that’s been forgotten in recent years as everyone tries to imitate the more auteur-esque Ari Aster or Robert Eggers. No one is trying to make the next Puppet Master and Critters… Wan being an obvious exception to the rule here.

Malignant embraces its B-movie roots. Wan knows the premise is completely beyond the realm of possibility and there’s silliness in the overall concept, but he leans into it. Without getting into too many spoilers, the idea is something you’ve never seen before, especially not in a major studio release.

As revealed by Bloody Disgusting two years ago, Malignant was always set to be inspired by Giallo. It’s a genre that served as a precursor to the modern slasher, but also wasn’t unafraid of being totally weird and unpredictable. One look at the late Umberto Lenzi’s filmography and you’ll see exactly how bizarre the genre can be.

Speaking to Nerd Reactor, Wan admitted that Malignant isn’t a genre-bender but more of a genre-blender. “I have always been a big fan of Italian horror films, and yes, this movie has the aesthetic of a Giallo movie, of the likes of the Bavas and the Argentos of the world,” he said. “Because of the nature of the movie, you’re naturally going to compare it to things that Cronenberg has done as well. I can’t pinpoint it to, let’s say, one inspiration. I would say it’s a combination of things.”

RELATED: Continue Movie Review – Nadine Crocker’s Candid Drama Reminds Us We Only Get One Life

Malignant movie

So, it isn’t like Malignant promised a traditional and safe horror experience. Nor should the audience want that, especially when there’s a plethora of them out there already. There are scenes in this film that audiences haven’t experienced anywhere before. Visually, it commits itself to some of the wildest and most unsettling moments. Again, no spoilers, but the staircase sequence is beyond disturbing when you eventually realise what’s actually happening. All of that is acted by Marina Mazepa—it isn’t CGI or filmed in reverse.

Malignant refuses to follow the expected slasher path, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie. Instead, it’s a throwback and reminder of how horror films can be fun. There’s always room at the table for another weird feature that surprises you.

Tell us, have you watched James Wan’s Malignant yet? If so, what did you think of it?

Tags: HorrorMovie Reviews
ShareTweetShareSend

About the Author: Sergio Pereira

Sergio is an entertainment journalist who has written about movies, television, video games, and comic books for over a decade and a half. Outside of journalism, he is an award-winning copywriter, screenwriter, and novelist. He holds a degree in media studies and psychology.

Related Posts

Jaws 50th Anniversary Box Office
Movie News

Jaws Swims To The Top Of The Box Office With $10M Weekend

September 1, 2025
The Village M Night Shyamalan Best Movie
Movie News

M. Night Shyamalan Says Test Audiences Called His Original Version Of The Village Their “Favorite Movie Of All Time”

August 28, 2025
Vera Farmiga Cross Bruise The Conjuring Last Rites
Movie News

Vera Farmiga Got Cross-Shaped Bruises While Filming The Conjuring: Last Rites

August 26, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MOST READ

Peacemaker Sol Rodríguez Sasha Bordeaux Batman
Trending

Peacemaker’s Sol Rodríguez Talks Sasha Bordeaux’s Batman Connection

August 18, 2025
james gunn superman 2025 logo chest shield
Movie Features

This Part Of Superman Ended Up Being Pointless (& Was Done Better On TV) 

August 18, 2025
tim burton wednesday season 2
Movie News

Tim Burton Opens Up About The A24 Horror Film He Loves

August 15, 2025
Spider-Man Brand New Day Movie Villain
Movie News

Spider-Man Fans Have Figured Out Brand New Day’s Mysterious Villain

August 15, 2025
Fortress of Solitude

© 2025 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

More about Fortress of Solitude

  • About Us
  • Contact Fortress of Solitude
  • Work With Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Sign Up For Our Newsletter
  • Publishing Principles
  • Ethics Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Ownership
  • Privacy Policy & Site Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE
  • MOVIES
    • Movie Features
    • Movie Lists
    • Movie News
    • Movie Reviews
  • TV
    • TV Features
    • TV Lists
    • TV News
    • TV Series Reviews
  • ANIME
    • Anime Features
    • Anime Lists
  • COMICS
    • Comic Features
    • Comic Lists
  • GAMING
    • Gaming Features
    • Gaming Lists
    • Gaming News
    • Game Reviews
  • TECH
    • Tech Features
    • Tech News
    • Tech Reviews
  • INTERVIEWS
  • WEB STORIES
  • ABOUT US
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Ownership
    • Work With Us
  • WIN

© 2025 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.