Malignant Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

2. The Tone Is All Over The Place

Even having thought about Malignant for a little while, it's tough to know exactly what James Wan was aiming for here, and how much of the movie actually went how he intended.

While it would be uncharitable not to give Wan credit for the flecks of self-aware humour throughout the film, these moments often feel at odds with the more atmospheric, entirely serious horror elements.

In one moment it's regarding itself with absolute solemnity, and in the next transforms into a campy homage to classic slasher movies, and then semi-randomly shoehorns in some ill-placed comic relief.

The resulting tonal whiplash is sure to throw many viewers off, as it's tough to get a bead on the prevailing feelings Wan was actually trying to tease out of audiences.

That messiness will win the film some fans, however, and at least ensures it is more compulsively watchable than your typical, generic supernatural horror flick.