Malicious (3/5)

Malicious is a new horror movie on Netflix, which should suit the wants of many horror fans. The movie stars Bojana Novakovic and Josh Stewart and while it’s not without problems it delivers on horror.

Malicious is a new horror movie on Netflix which does feel very much like it was made for horror fans. The opening scene alone delivers on that delicious creepiness that sets the tone perfectly.

Sure, it does also feel a bit stereotypical, but it does the trick of getting us hooked and wanting to know more.

Also, Malicious stars Bojana Novakovic and Josh Stewart as a very likable married couple. Yet another reason the story manages to get you interested from the beginning. While this new horror movie on Netflix is not without issues, it does deliver on aspects most horror fans will enjoy.

Bojana Novakovic stars in Malicious

The absolute star of Malicious is Bojana Novakovic, who was instantly very familiar to me. Of course, this is because she has been in quite a lot already. 

She was in Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell (2009), which I loved, and also in  Devil (2010) which was based on a story by M. Night Shyamalan. More recently, she was in the horror movie The Hallow (2015) by Corin Hardy.

Basically, she’s made a career out of starring in horror movies. Also, she’s currently co-starring with Alan Cumming in the CBS crime show Instinct.

The many horror movies mean she has horror fan recognition and she’s good at acting in horror movies. Unlike what some young actors think, it’s more than breathing hard and looking scared.

I’m not an actor, so I don’t know what it is, but Bojana Novakovic knows exactly what that something is!

In Malicious, she’s given ample opportunity to use that gift for horror and it lifts the story as a whole.

Fan favorite Josh Stewart co-stars

The other star of Malicious is Josh Stewart who has become quite a horror fan favorite over the past decade or so. His horror career really took off with The Collector (2009) and its sequel The Collection (2012), which are both worth watching if you haven’t already.

Also, he is in the new season of The Punisher (Marvel series on Netflix) and played Elise Rainier’s dad, Gerald, in the most recent Insidious movie, Insidious: The Last Key.

In Malicious, he plays the role of Adam. He’s the husband of Bojana Novakovic’s character, Lisa, and these two have perfect chemistry. They banter and joke in a way that makes you like them instantly and believe that they have a good and strong marriage. This is all-important for what’s to come in the movie later on.

Playing one of the main supporting characters as Lisa’s sister, Becky, is Melissa Bolona. You may recognize her from another one of Josh Stewart’s more recent movies titled The Neighbor (2016), which is also a damn good watch. Melissa Bolona’s character in Malicious isn’t exactly likable, but she is important as a plot-driver.

Watch Malicious on Netflix now!

Michael Winnick is the writer and director of the new Netflix movie Malicious. I’m not familiar with his previous work, but I was a bit discouraged when I noticed the movie he did before Malicious. It was called Code of Honor and stars one of the ultimate has-been action stars, Steven Segal.

Sure, I watched Steven Segal movies back in the 1990s, but these years I would rather spend my time on something else. Or actually, I would watch a movie starring Steven Segal if it had a plot that was unlike every other movie he’s done. Anyway, my point is that my expectations were pretty low with the Steven Segal movie in mind.

Fortunately, I found Malicious to be a very pleasant surprise. It does use a bit more CGI than I’d like. Mostly because it isn’t done very well – even if it is quite efficient at times!

If you like the classic horror stories involving demons and pregnancy, then you should certainly check out Malicious on Netflix.

Malicious is out on Netflix in the US, Canada and several other countries from February 1, 2019.

Details

Director: Michael Winnick
Writer:Michael Winnick
Stars: Bojana Novakovic, Josh Stewart, Delroy Lindo, Melissa Bolona, Yvette Yates, Luke Edwards

Plot

A young college professor and his pregnant wife unwittingly release a malevolent entity with murderous intentions.