Malignant

Madison Mitchell lives in a constant blur between waking life and violent visions. She experiences vivid, grisly murders as if she were watching them unfold inside her own mind. At first these episodes feel like nightmares, but the line between dream and reality quickly dissolves. The killings begin to happen in the world around her, forcing her to question whether she is imagining things or linked to a chain of events she never chose. As she teams with her sister Sydney Lake and a pair of investigators, the past starts leaking into the present in disturbing ways. The more she confronts these terrifying scenes, the more she must face a history that ties her to a force she barely understands.

Directed by James Wan, Malignant arrived in 2021 from an original screenplay by Akela Cooper and Ingrid Bisu. Wan pairs polished visuals with audacious genre set pieces to deliver a throwback feel in a contemporary horror package for modern audiences.

The film grossed about 34.9 million worldwide against a 40 million budget. While some markets embraced its over the top visuals, Malignant underperformed relative to typical Wan releases, prompting mixed reactions to its unconventional narrative approach, particularly in some markets.

Malignant sparked lively online chatter for its surprising visual choices and a finale that divided audiences. Fans cite its feverish energy and fearless tone as hallmarks of Wan's late career experiments, while critics debate whether the audacity pays off in the service of suspense and storytelling risks for some viewers.

Critics were divided, praising the film's extravagant visuals and sincere performances, while others found the plot disjointed. The story probes trauma and motherhood, using Madison's visions to explore memory, identity, and how past abuses echo in the present. The result is a polarizing thrill that sticks with viewers after watching.