Malicious

Actually wanted to like 'Malicious', and yes there was the intention to judge the film for myself after watching it and even more intention to judge it fairly. Both have always been the case with me when it comes to reviewing a film. The idea was attention-grabbing and it didn't look too bad, so there was potential.

Potential that was not lived up to very well at all. 'Malicious' was not a waste of time but it is a long way from a must watch from personal opinion. Didn't regret watching it and didn't find that my intelligence was insulted, something that cannot be said for some other films seen recently, it just didn't compel let alone unsettle me which is a primary factor as to why 'Malicious' as an overall film doesn't work.

Lets start with the good things. 'Malicious' started off very well, it does draw one right in, sets things up promisingly and has an eerie vibe. It's a decent looking film, with the setting giving off the right amount of unease and the photography has atmosphere. The music is haunting and not too obvious or intrusive.

Generally the acting was better than average. Nobody over-compensates and nobody looks uncomfortable or robotic.

However, while the characters don't annoy there could have been much more development to them. The script is an overload of cheese and awkwardness and the direction is at best lethargic.

'Malicious' biggest issue is the story. There is very little tension, suspense or dread, with the scares infrequent and being going-through-the-motions-like and obvious when they appear. It is dull too often despite starting off so well and is very predictable from the excessive over-familiarity of a lot of scenes, while it becomes increasingly far-fetched and confused. Not enough is explained properly either, too much is left vague and leaves one scratching their heads.

Not a waste of time but doesn't scare or compel enough. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Malicious has it all... Crying babies, melodrama, boring math lectures, a blind parapsychologist, a visit from a witch in the shower, a haunted painting, ghost incest, and some tight outfits! This was pretty dull and routine for the first hour, solid. The only thing that got me through it was, literally, wondering what foxy number Lisa's slutty sister (Melissa Bolona) was going to wear next. Things pick up in the last half hour, where they do a paranormal investigation. There are actually a couple of good scares to be found in this. So, I don't know, read the synopsis and begin with chapter 5 on the DVD.

Okay, so this isn't perfect by any means but I managed to watch it to the end and I even managed to bring myself to give it a 6/10 rating. A pregnant couple move into a faculty house when the husband gets a job in the area as a math teacher. When they get there they find a gift has already arrived for them; a fertility box which can't be opened - until the wife opens it... Anyway, at the husband's new school he meets the head of the department, an enigmatic, blind guy who has other, more paranormal interests outside of academia. The drawbacks of this film to me were that it was predictable (which is okay if it's filmed and directed well - and this wasn't too bad) and the other thing is the husband...he's a bit 2 dimensional and doesn't display enough emotion or good, realistic reactions to the events that transpire (not the actor's fault. It's the fault of the director). The pros of this film are that, although it's a painted by numbers horror, the characters and acting are good and the there were enough interesting and quite well-done moments of horror throughout to sustain my interest which has become extremely fussy these days (being 50 years old). Overall: Not bad! A bit flat in places but a half decent offering. It's more of a 5 but I gave it 6 because I got to end without feeling too much frustration.

The movie had good cinematography and good acting. I don't remember having seen quite a similar story in any of the horror movies I have seen so far and I have seen many, so I would say some aspects of the story were original. Many ideas had been taken from movies such as Mirrors, the Unborn and other run-of-the-mill horror movies, so those scenes only served as a filler and didn't scare me at all. It did give me chills four or five times, so it wasn't a complete waste of time, but it didn't develop the scare factor as much as it could have, which is a real let down. The movie had potential to be really scary and leave you with lasting fear, but it was ultimately a failure.

What really annoyed me were the lead actor and actress. While they delivered good performances, they didn't have the looks. When I looked at their facial expressions, I couldn't help but yawn, and this is bad for a horror movie that demands your full attention. I think what actors and actresses look like is important and they can make you love or hate a movie and not be really able to explain why you feel that way. The characters were also not as developed as they could have been. We could have been told a lot more about the wife's sister, the evil entity and what it really wanted, its motives, the mysterious woman and her warning, the origins of the entity and the box, the reason for what the husband did at the end of the movie, etc. All in all, the movie left a lot to be desired. What you're going to get out of watching this movie are a few chills and wishing it had been directed by Sam Raimi. Now, he could have made this into a real horror movie.

I did not want to watch another useless horror movie.. But I gave it a try anyway... There were really some good frightening moments but they could have developped more Dr Clarks' character. Not punchy and enigmatic enough in my opinion, but it's much better of what I have seen this year in terms of horror movie... Really.