Sightlines · reception

How Malignant was received

2021 · James Wan · Malignant on Sightlines

The arc

It came out in September 2021, on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day, to mixed reviews, puzzled audiences and a modest box office. Within months it had a loud cult following that now treats it as a gleefully deranged camp classic.

What’s debated

Fans keep arguing over whether the clunky first act and the soap-opera acting are a deliberate, knowing pastiche or just bad, and whether the gonzo third act makes up for them either way.

Its footprint

The third-act reveal and the action sequence that follows became meme fuel overnight. The killer also took on a second life as a camp icon, especially with queer horror fans.

Where it stands

It's a fast-rising Letterboxd cult favorite that fans love to show to friends who haven't seen it, then watch their faces.

Did you know? The killer's unnatural, backwards-bending movements were largely done for real by contortionist and dancer Marina Mazepa rather than with CGI. The story is credited to Wan, Akela Cooper and Ingrid Bisu, Wan's wife, who also appears in the film.

Named by the director

• Dario Argento — Wan framed the film as his love letter to giallo and named Argento's lurid Italian thrillers as a key touchstone.
• Brian De Palma — Wan cited De Palma's operatic, stylized thrillers as part of the tone he was going for.