The 2021 film Malignant is one of the most well-known James Wan horror movies and is also famous for its memorable ending. Madison Lake-Mitchell (Annabelle Wallis) is pregnant and having horrifying visions that are taking over her life. Several other great horror movies came out in 2021, including Saint Maud, Candyman, and Last Night in Soho. The consensus is that while Malignant isn't perfect, it's entertaining and unexpected enough to keep audiences engaged.
From the main storyline to the surprising ending, Malignant is a captivating story from start to finish. Horror fans should definitely revisit Malignant and remember the unforgettable final scenes. The movie features an epic plot twist that can't be ignored.
What Is Malignant About?
In Malignant, Madison prepares to welcome a baby into the world, she is terrified of her abusive boyfriend Derek Mitchell (Jake Abel). The movie opens with a flashback from 1993 at Simion Research Hospital. Gabriel (Ray Chase) is a patient at the hospital who murders several people there and who can move electricity with his mind. While this might seem like a random way to start the movie, and it's definitely not one of the best horror movie opening scenes, the movie does come full circle and mention Gabriel again. So it's fair to say that the opening scene pays off.
Malignant is a movie with a wild plot twist that has been talked about by many horror fans. Gabriel is Madison's parasitic twin, and she realizes that this is why she has been having horrible and wild visions. It seems that Madison has always had a feeling that something was wrong. Perhaps she could tell that her other half was missing. This seems to be a common experience with twins of all kinds, although of course it's exaggerated in Malignant since it's a horror movie.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, James Wan explained that Ingrid, his wife, researches "medical anomalies" and that he learned about teratomas. He realized that this would work well in a horror movie. Wan said, "So obviously my horror movie-f---ed mind went immediately to the most messed-up story I could come up with. Her and I, we just started spitballing ideas and [it] eventually snowballed into a concept. The whole time I was thinking, how do I take this seed of an idea and actually turn it into a film and what I can do with it that can possibly allow me to have fun with all kinds of practical effects that I haven't played with in a while?"
Some might say that the reveal in Malignant is one of the best plot twists in a movie. Others might argue that it's too predictable or corny. But no matter what someone thinks, there's no denying that Malignant is a horror movie that can't be ignored.
How Does Malignant End?
Malignant ends with Gabriel trying to murder Madison's sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson) because she is Madison's sibling who is out there in the real world. Madison realizes what is going on and becomes one with her body and mind once again. What people consider scary is, of course, subjective. For some horror fans, movies featuring terrifying dolls are always going to be tough to watch. For others, psychological horror or paranormal stories have the creepiest tones. Chances are that everyone who watches Malignant can agree that watching Gabriel take over Madison is incredibly chilling.
The next scene takes place in Madison's mind as she imagines locking Gabriel somewhere that he can't find her. This works and she is able to break free. Madison saves Sydney from a bed at the hospital that has been crushing her.
Is this a satisfying horror movie ending? In some ways, it's a happy ending since Madison and Sydney make it clear to each other that they always be close. But in other ways, it's incredibly sad. Madison can never get back the time that she spent being tormented by Gabriel and these scary experiences have changed her as a person.
While Malignant is a pretty intense movie and can even feel corny at times because it's so over-the-top, it does a decent job of showing how one woman's trauma can show up in unexpected ways. It's clear that Madison will be coping with this experience for a long time. And in this way, the movie is realistic about what it means to face domestic violence and family problems.
There are many movies that are about twins and chances are that none of them are as dark or disturbing as Malignant. It's horrible seeing Madison be abused by her partner and then have to deal with Gabriel taking control of her mind and body. Whether horror fans love Malignant or find it to be a little much, chances are that no one will forget about this story.