WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Malignant, currently in theaters and on HBO Max.
James Wan's latest film, Malignant, is a unique horror film because it never consistently stays in one genre. In fact, it tends to jump around from horror to crime thriller to body-horror. However, the balance never feels inorganic or inconsistent with the story. The film follows Madison (Annabelle Wallis), who learns that her nightmares of people being murdered are actually real. To make matters worse, the circumstances surrounding these murders are much closer to her than she realizes. In fact, the killer is actually the supernatural personification of her twin brother, who was attached to her as a severe tumor or teratoma. While he was extracted as a child, what was left gained power in her mind and took over her body to perform grisly murders.
As a horror film, it is one of the most genre-bending entries in the medium. However, its balance in themes and content opens many doors for viewers to find similar inspirations. Below is a list of films that perfectly compliment Malignant and are sure to entertain for hours after the credits roll.
Basket Case
Basket Case is a low-budget horror film by Frank Henenlotter that tells the story of a young man who keeps his deformed brother, Belial, locked in a wicker basket. The reason for this strange lifestyle is because Belial's resentment for being separated from his brother leads him to become vengeful and murderous towards those that judge him for his appearance. The film's themes of brotherhood and family are the driving force behind both characters' motivations. While the movie is far from perfect, it's a great parallel to the story of Malignant.
The Fly
Since its release, David Cronenberg's The Fly has become a cornerstone in modern body-horror and creature features. It's a remake of the 1958 science-fiction film but chooses to be more unsettling in its content. The film follows Seth Brundle and his efforts to master teleportation. After testing it on himself, he ends up fused with a fly that ventured into the pod. What begins as a strength, with the fly giving Seth superhuman abilities, eventually becomes a cancer as his body slowly mutates into a massive insect. Much like Malignant, while the final evolution is terrifying and breathtaking, the journey is where the real emotion and sadness can be found.
The Thing
Like The Fly, John Carpenter's The Thing is a more terrifying remake of a classic science-fiction film, The Thing From Another World. It follows a group of scientists on an arctic expedition when they accidentally bring in an alien creature that can assume the identity of any living thing. Almost immediately, paranoia sets in, as the men don't know who they can trust. The film keeps the tension rising even until the final few seconds as its ambiguous ending tells viewers to question everything, even what's in front of them. Like Malignant, the film asks who is in control and if the person speaking (like Madison) is truly them or a fabrication used to lure in another victim.
The Conjuring
Before Malignant, James Wan had already put himself on the Hollywood radar with his film The Conjuring. His directorial style in the first and second films is distinct thanks to his clever camera tricks. This includes dramatic zooms and the ability to trick the eye into focusing on a misdirect, making viewers susceptible to jump scares. This is best shown with the clapping scene in the basement of the Perron house in the original film. However, he also crafts truly terrifying movie monsters such as Bathsheba and the Nun while still grounding the films, and universe, with a heartfelt story through the love between the main characters. Malignant focuses on all of these factors to tell a story that hides heart between its scarier scenes.
Seven
David Fincher's Seven is a unique crime thriller, as it features many elements that could be considered horror. The story follows veteran police Detective Lieutenant William Somerset and newcomer Detective David Mills. Together, they try to solve a rash of murders modeled after the seven deadly sins. However, as they delve too deep into the case, they begin to learn how their type of job can hit close to home. While the movie is planted firmly in the crime thriller genre, many of the grotesque scenes involving the victims could be considered horrific. This is particularly true of one victim who represents the sin of Sloth, appearing to look emaciated and nearly zombie-like. The film keeps audiences guessing until the last few moments, and the ending is far from a happy one. Malignant is similar because it uses detective work to unravel the far more supernatural undertones that drive the film's murders.
Check out James Wan's Malignant, in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.