Malum
Malum
Starring Jessica Sula, Eric Olson, Candice Coke, Chaney Morrow
Directed by Anthony DiBlasi
Starring Jessica Sula, Eric Olson, Candice Coke, Chaney Morrow
Directed by Anthony DiBlasi
One of the biggest debates in movies is the issue of remaking previous films, and there's really no wrong answer, as some remakes have turned out to be spectacular ("Ocean's Eleven," "The Departed") and some have turned out disastrous ("Psycho," "The Fog"). What is almost consistent is that whoever does the remake of an original film is a different director from the first, but what sets "Malum" apart is the fact that this remake of the 2014 horror film "Last Shift" was directed by the same director, who wanted to utilize a bigger budget and tweak his own story in a way that makes the remake worthwhile. While it mostly succeeds on that end, comparing it side-to-side with the original shows some cracks that the original didn't have, and a script that seemingly took shape after the director watched another particular film about cultist possession.
Rookie cop Jessica Loren (Jessica Sula) volunteers to take the last shift at a closing police station where her police officer father Will (Eric Olson) died a year previously to investigate what really happened. She knew he had stopped cult leader John Malum (Chaney Morrow) from killing three girls, but it seems that his cult is still going strong, and is out to get Jessica with a blend of supernatural horror and physical altercations that lead Jessica to wonder what's real, what's in her head, and what's really going on at this not-so-abandoned police station.
The Good:
"Malum" is a remake of "Last Shift," and it expands on the previous film's story concerning the cult of the Low God, making Jessica their sole purpose. While "Last Shift" excelled at the slow burn horror, "Malum" amps up the horror in droves, delivering a more blood-soaked thrill ride than its predecessor.
The story of "Malum" is also expanded from "Last Shift" in important ways, most notably concerning Jessica's connection to the cult, as well as the cult's followers who seem as bloodthirsty and crazy as their deceased founder. Jessica is haunted by terrifying visions, but she doesn't let them deter her from trying to find out the truth behind her father's suicide. The phrase "be careful what you wish for" weaves its way through the narrative, as Jessica finds herself at odds again and again both by the cult physically and the supernatural hold they have over the prison.
One of the reasons director Anthony DiBlasi wanted to remake his 2014 film was because he had a bigger budget, and wanted to amp up the blood and gore. To do this he brought in the team of Russell FX, who combined computer animation with good ole fashioned practical effects to really deliver the goods. We see heads bashed in, fingers cut off, and everything in-between that will make any gorehound squeal in delight. When it comes to the supernatural demons, they also deliver with practical effects that make them look like the soul sisters of Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" Cenobites (which comes as no surprise since DiBlasi was a Barker protege), giving a unique demon that will surely haunt your dreams.
The mystery surrounding the cult is at the forefront of the film, and it doesn't give you any easy answers. You're as in the dark as Jessica is, so you don't have the foreknowledge of what's to happen - much like the darkened corridors of the desolate prison, we too are in the dark with what's to come, which only adds to the continual tension.
Jessica Sula shines as Jessica Loren, a woman who's equal parts fearless and terrified, showcasing her rookie persona as she struggles with trying to maintain the peace inside her mind instead of calling for backup. She endures a night of living hell, but never backs down from her search for the truth, and she portrays the character in a wholly believable manner.
The Bad:
It's somewhat unfair to compare it to the original, but with the original's lack of funding the scares relied more on the setting than gore and effects, and to that end the setting here is somewhat diminished. Sure, the dark halls and the flickering lights still illicit a sense of fear and dread, but here they're used to prepare the viewer for the next inevitable jump scare, which, to the film's credit, aren't used primarily because they got nothing else to say.
The supporting cast really doesn't have a lot to offer in the realm of anything memorable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing because the film's sole purpose is to tell Jessica's story, so while some of them (most notably her mother, played by a seemingly mentally checked out Candice Coke) fail to deliver, they still heighten Jessica as a character.
The first two-thirds of the film excels at the storytelling, but the final act seems to abandon the script for an all-out hellfest in the halls of the prison, and while it does succeed in providing very unsettling moments, it also causes the story to falter a bit and also seemingly points to another, more famous, horror film about a cult who's ending is almost reminiscent of this one.
The Verdict:
While "Last Shift" focused more on the atmosphere of the terror, "Malum" amps up the gore and effects to effectively deliver a fantastic lower-budget horror film while also providing a unique mystery that forces you to think and question everything you see.
The Score: A-
Rookie cop Jessica Loren (Jessica Sula) volunteers to take the last shift at a closing police station where her police officer father Will (Eric Olson) died a year previously to investigate what really happened. She knew he had stopped cult leader John Malum (Chaney Morrow) from killing three girls, but it seems that his cult is still going strong, and is out to get Jessica with a blend of supernatural horror and physical altercations that lead Jessica to wonder what's real, what's in her head, and what's really going on at this not-so-abandoned police station.
The Good:
"Malum" is a remake of "Last Shift," and it expands on the previous film's story concerning the cult of the Low God, making Jessica their sole purpose. While "Last Shift" excelled at the slow burn horror, "Malum" amps up the horror in droves, delivering a more blood-soaked thrill ride than its predecessor.
The story of "Malum" is also expanded from "Last Shift" in important ways, most notably concerning Jessica's connection to the cult, as well as the cult's followers who seem as bloodthirsty and crazy as their deceased founder. Jessica is haunted by terrifying visions, but she doesn't let them deter her from trying to find out the truth behind her father's suicide. The phrase "be careful what you wish for" weaves its way through the narrative, as Jessica finds herself at odds again and again both by the cult physically and the supernatural hold they have over the prison.
One of the reasons director Anthony DiBlasi wanted to remake his 2014 film was because he had a bigger budget, and wanted to amp up the blood and gore. To do this he brought in the team of Russell FX, who combined computer animation with good ole fashioned practical effects to really deliver the goods. We see heads bashed in, fingers cut off, and everything in-between that will make any gorehound squeal in delight. When it comes to the supernatural demons, they also deliver with practical effects that make them look like the soul sisters of Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" Cenobites (which comes as no surprise since DiBlasi was a Barker protege), giving a unique demon that will surely haunt your dreams.
The mystery surrounding the cult is at the forefront of the film, and it doesn't give you any easy answers. You're as in the dark as Jessica is, so you don't have the foreknowledge of what's to happen - much like the darkened corridors of the desolate prison, we too are in the dark with what's to come, which only adds to the continual tension.
Jessica Sula shines as Jessica Loren, a woman who's equal parts fearless and terrified, showcasing her rookie persona as she struggles with trying to maintain the peace inside her mind instead of calling for backup. She endures a night of living hell, but never backs down from her search for the truth, and she portrays the character in a wholly believable manner.
The Bad:
It's somewhat unfair to compare it to the original, but with the original's lack of funding the scares relied more on the setting than gore and effects, and to that end the setting here is somewhat diminished. Sure, the dark halls and the flickering lights still illicit a sense of fear and dread, but here they're used to prepare the viewer for the next inevitable jump scare, which, to the film's credit, aren't used primarily because they got nothing else to say.
The supporting cast really doesn't have a lot to offer in the realm of anything memorable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing because the film's sole purpose is to tell Jessica's story, so while some of them (most notably her mother, played by a seemingly mentally checked out Candice Coke) fail to deliver, they still heighten Jessica as a character.
The first two-thirds of the film excels at the storytelling, but the final act seems to abandon the script for an all-out hellfest in the halls of the prison, and while it does succeed in providing very unsettling moments, it also causes the story to falter a bit and also seemingly points to another, more famous, horror film about a cult who's ending is almost reminiscent of this one.
The Verdict:
While "Last Shift" focused more on the atmosphere of the terror, "Malum" amps up the gore and effects to effectively deliver a fantastic lower-budget horror film while also providing a unique mystery that forces you to think and question everything you see.
The Score: A-
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