Will Sams

The first 2 seasons were very well done and left me wanting more. There were some obvious character development issues, but generally well done given the limited number of episodes per season. I gave 3 stars for only one reason, season 3. I wish I could rate each season, however, the 3rd season was horribly lackluster, especially the final few episodes. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD… The final fights were terrible. When Diana fights Benjamin and Satu at the hospital, after all the hype and buildup of their power, especially Satu’s, the fight ended almost immediately. For Satu, who is a powerful weaver, to not even weave any spells during the fight seems ridiculous. Benjamin, on the other hand didn’t even give a monologue about being abandoned before immediately being taken out by a spell that took over a minute to prepare. Finally, the Peter Knox fight, after being the main villain throughout the series, was over in seconds, defeated by a witch with far less power than he possessed. The show got really sappy at the end, too, devolving into an overt discussion about diversity and inclusion, the rule of the patriarchy, and the suppression of the underprivileged by the establishment. My last complaint is how EVERYONE loved and followed Diana after 10 minutes of being with her. She convinced those with deep seated hatred, developed over centuries, to be loving and welcoming in a few minutes. I’ve ordered the book series, since I loved the first 2 seasons, in hopes that it is more expansive and less cringey than season 3.

Malignant offers very little in the way of scary scenes. The film is wildly predictable throughout and does not take advantage of several possibly scary situations. The final act is even more dreadful, with the villain reveal being one of the worst I have seen. The pacing and story are lacking in every way. I expected a great deal more from James Wan. I would not recommend this movie to anyone, ESPECIALLY those who like scary/horror movies or James Wan’s previous films.

Some of the episodes in season 1 pull you in and keep you there. Very fun to watch!