Malignant Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

1. It's Guaranteed To Become A Cult Classic

Malignant 2021
Warner Bros.

Though early reviews for Malignant have been sharply polarised - some dismissing it as an incoherent mess, others hailing it as a daring breath of fresh air - it surely isn't going to be forgotten anytime soon.

Regardless of its Rotten Tomatoes score or opening weekend at the box office, Malignant feels like a purpose-built cult classic horror film, whose sheer abundance of peculiar creative choices will win it a passionate legion of cheerleaders.

Don't be surprised if there are countless articles released a decade from now singing the movie's praises as a misunderstood experimental genre piece, and even if not, its stylish visuals and absurd story should ensure it lives on with a certain quarter of horror fans.

That's not to forgive or hand-wave the film's many problems, but there's something to be said for a movie that firebombs audience expectations quite this aggressively.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.