Horror icon and creator of the “Saw” franchise, James Wan’s latest project “Malignant” may not be a top-tier horror movie, but if you want to kill an hour or so, it is a wild ride.

We begin with the story of Madison, who after suffering from a miscarriage and her husband’s constant abuse, begins dreaming of murders before they occur in real-time. After her husband’s death, she ventures out to piece together the puzzle behind the killing, only to discover she is more involved than she realized. Though obviously imperfect, “Malignant” has a wacky premise that manages to capture viewers’ attention while simultaneously giving them a headache. 

The movie might come off as overly convoluted for some, but for those who have grown bored with the typical horror formula, it is an exhilarating watch. The words such as “campy” and “disastrous” have been used to comment on the film’s over-the-top plot and violence, but I feel this works in its favor rather than to its detriment. The strangeness adds to its charm, similar to how the ridiculousness of “Pink Flamingos” makes it a cult classic. Of course, the pitfall of having an absurd plot is that it needs to be consistently wacky, or the story will suffer from tone problems. “Malignant” is spectacularly gaudy, but some of the tone shifts are jarring and it breaks viewer immersion.

Spotty acting has been one of the criticized aspects of the film, and it is not without merit. Whether it is simply the actor’s performance or poor dialogue, writing is up for debate, but regardless, the acting can come off as distractingly bad. The cast is a mixed bag, with experienced actress Annabelle Wallis playing the lead Madison and a variety of semi-experienced players in more minor roles. Despite this supposed experience, it almost comes off as if the actors are all in different movies; some interpreted the script as a cheesy comedy and some as a psychological thriller. The bad acting only highlights the tone problem, to the point where the first five minutes of the movie feel completely devoid of the rest of the plot.

The absolute best aspect of the film is its cinematography and special effects; no one can deny that from a technical standpoint, “Malignant” is incredibly well crafted. The set design is very detailed, scenes are shot at a variety of interesting angles and the use of bright colors in regards to lighting gives the film a bold “neon-noir” aesthetic. The most impressive technical element, however, is the blending of digital and practical effects, best demonstrated by the infamous “police station scene.” Although it is extremely over the top, the choreography is fantastic and is somewhat reminiscent of the hilarious, bloody action in the “Deadpool” movies. 

“Malignant” may not be as groundbreaking as Wan’s previous horror installments, but a movie does not have to be a masterpiece to be effectively entertaining. As far as possession thrillers go, it is definitely worth the watch if you are sick of the usual tropes.