Malum is the brand new feature film from Welcome Villain films. It's co-written and directed by Anthony DiBlasi, the same man who brought us Last Shift. The horror genre is flooded with all kinds of remakes, reboots and television adaptations from mainstream franchises. Malum is a refreshing change of pace in that regard, because it's being marketed as sort of a reimagining of Last Shift.
While that description is accurate, I would argue that Last Shift and Malum are two different movies. Much like how The Evil Dead relates to Evil Dead 2. It uses the best elements from Last Shift, taking an already familiar plot and changing it for the better with a higher budget and better pacing; all while cranking the volume of intensity to 11. Malum is an even darker version of the film in terms of scares, imagination and sadistic cruel violence. The film's opening scene is jaw dropping to say the least, and it's merely a taste of the hellish nightmare to come.
The basic plot of Malum is very similar to Last Shift where a rookie cop looks over a closing police station. After spending the majority of her shift by herself, the old station turns into a living nightmare involving creepy weirdos, a snuff film and a blood thirsty cult. This time around there's more meat to the story, focusing even more on the personal relationships of the main character. Malum also leans heavier into the "cult" aspect of the plot, leading way to some incredible performances and amazing Sinister style visuals. Because of this, Malum makes for a more engaging experience compared to its predecessor.
Once the psychological horror kicks in, the terror never stops. Combine this with a perfectly fitting musical score from Samuel Laflamme, who I might add is most notable for his works on the Outlast video games, the film cooks up the perfect recipe for suspense. Malum features a ton of genuine heart pounding jump scares, along with violent death scenes that narrowly avoids feeling mean spirited. The level of violence in Malum is visceral and downright brutal with some visually graphic blood and gore.
The biggest complaint I had with Last Shift was that dragged in parts and left me with more questions than answers. The pacing of Malum is much better in comparison. You can clearly tell that Anthony DiBlasi used the higher budget to his advantage. Jessica Sula plays the role of the rookie cop in the film, and she's an absolute pleasure to watch onscreen. The entire cast fits perfectly in their roles, and to me there was no ounce of wasted dialog. There's even some moments of humor within the banter of fellow police officers.
When you watch Malum for yourself, make sure you're paying close attention. Spooky things tend to pop up during the movie, making it an intense thrill ride from start to finish. Even compared to Last Shift, Malum stands out as its own monster. The intensity that the film possesses is due in large part to the powerful musical score. I can almost guarantee that Malum will make you jump out of your seat. It's 90 minutes worth of madness, and if you're a fan of the original film, you'll be pleasantly surprised with what Malum has to offer.
While that description is accurate, I would argue that Last Shift and Malum are two different movies. Much like how The Evil Dead relates to Evil Dead 2. It uses the best elements from Last Shift, taking an already familiar plot and changing it for the better with a higher budget and better pacing; all while cranking the volume of intensity to 11. Malum is an even darker version of the film in terms of scares, imagination and sadistic cruel violence. The film's opening scene is jaw dropping to say the least, and it's merely a taste of the hellish nightmare to come.
The basic plot of Malum is very similar to Last Shift where a rookie cop looks over a closing police station. After spending the majority of her shift by herself, the old station turns into a living nightmare involving creepy weirdos, a snuff film and a blood thirsty cult. This time around there's more meat to the story, focusing even more on the personal relationships of the main character. Malum also leans heavier into the "cult" aspect of the plot, leading way to some incredible performances and amazing Sinister style visuals. Because of this, Malum makes for a more engaging experience compared to its predecessor.
Once the psychological horror kicks in, the terror never stops. Combine this with a perfectly fitting musical score from Samuel Laflamme, who I might add is most notable for his works on the Outlast video games, the film cooks up the perfect recipe for suspense. Malum features a ton of genuine heart pounding jump scares, along with violent death scenes that narrowly avoids feeling mean spirited. The level of violence in Malum is visceral and downright brutal with some visually graphic blood and gore.
The biggest complaint I had with Last Shift was that dragged in parts and left me with more questions than answers. The pacing of Malum is much better in comparison. You can clearly tell that Anthony DiBlasi used the higher budget to his advantage. Jessica Sula plays the role of the rookie cop in the film, and she's an absolute pleasure to watch onscreen. The entire cast fits perfectly in their roles, and to me there was no ounce of wasted dialog. There's even some moments of humor within the banter of fellow police officers.
When you watch Malum for yourself, make sure you're paying close attention. Spooky things tend to pop up during the movie, making it an intense thrill ride from start to finish. Even compared to Last Shift, Malum stands out as its own monster. The intensity that the film possesses is due in large part to the powerful musical score. I can almost guarantee that Malum will make you jump out of your seat. It's 90 minutes worth of madness, and if you're a fan of the original film, you'll be pleasantly surprised with what Malum has to offer.