That’s what’s slightly disappointing: Malum differentiates, but does it differentiate enough? Monster designs by Russell FX whiff the fumes of Hellraiser without stealing from Hulu’s most recent franchise addition, standing out against other indie horror titles with less accomplished horrific craftsmanship. Still, DiBlasi delivers what Last Shift fans will once again enjoy. DiBlasi builds upon the narrative of Last Shift, but Malum isn’t a marked revamp outside its veers into demonic occult stances. Edit transitions can be quickie-janky between scenes, and sometimes shots feel like empty space without atmosphere despite a dilapidated, multi-story police station. Sula is constantly outshining others in blue, but the vengeful cultists steady shakier presentations even beyond performance power. The tenacity of her newbie shines through, even against ranking male officers who stumble through sexism and misogyny, with a bullish grace Sula levels against zany cultists and maniac specters that drip with haunted house ferocity. ![]() Performances get the job done with what’s given, especially Sula’s leading role. A lot of dreamlike logic floats through a freakish onslaught of dependably scary imagery strung together by what fits a moment versus the fluid nature of a more captivating survival scenario. There’s a destabilizing nature to Malum that both works and doesn’t, hinging on Jessica’s psychological and physical descent as the overnight turns gnarlier by the second. It’s both a feature and bug: The supernatural elements seep in via evidence footage that talks back to Jessica or visions of hanging victims inside holding cells, yet the boundary between real and hallucination is blurry. There’s a solid chance Malum features what will remain one of my favorite horror kills of the year, and that’s a testament to the quality of special effects often on display.ĭiBlasi and Poiley emphasize John Malum’s cult followers–Clarke Wolfe as Dorothea, Morgan Lennon as Kitty and Danielle Coyne as Birdie–which grounds Jessica’s nightmare harder in reality. ![]() Josh and Sierra Russell of Russell FX summon Hell unto Earth with buckets of blood, which grants DiBlasi’s update a visually arresting edge over Last Shift. Whatever head-splattery digital nastiness exists supplements eye-popping kill sequences or creatures from beneath, like a mix of Tim Burton and Clive Barker. Malum shines when the demonic revelations that overtake Jessica present themselves through gruesome indie effects. Jessica wants to prove herself, and she will–in the lonesome halls where ghosts of her father’s past still haunt the forsaken grounds. Everything’s connected to cult leader John Malum (Chaney Morrow), Will’s relationship as John’s arresting officer and how a brave hero became an overnight disgrace after a few shotgun blasts. Jessica’s reasoning is family related–she wants to work in the same building as her deceased father…before Will Loren (Eric Olson) snapped, killing multiple coworkers before ending his own life. ![]() Jessica Sula prepares for blasphemous warfare as Jessica Loren, a rookie police officer in a rural locale who requests the overnight shift at a nearly abandoned precinct. However, there’s still an eerily underwhelming aftertaste about taking a second shot but not improving much of the overall production. Points are awarded for not being Travis Zariwny’s Cabin Fever remake, which literally reuses Eli Roth’s screenplay. But oddly, it’s no better or worse than Last Shift– just moderately different. Maybe “reimagining” is more apt? DiBlasi and co-writer Scott Poiley tweak the storytelling choices from 2014’s “original” Last Shift, which massages a reboot element to Malum ’s benefit. MALUM takes the premise of the 2014 festival hit and flips it on its head, thrusting viewers into an unrelenting, adrenaline-fueled, bloody cult nightmare.The curious case of Anthony DiBlasi’s Malum is an exercise in remaking your own movie. The lone officer at the station, she soon finds herself barraged by terrifying paranormal events, and in the process, is taken on a journey during which she learns the shocking truth behind her family's entanglement with a demented cult leader. On a search to uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father's death, a newly appointed police officer, Jessica Loren (Jessica Sula) is assigned to the last shift in a decommissioned police station where a notoriously vicious cult saw their demise years prior. MALUM is a bold and expanded reimagining of the 2014 horror cult classic, LAST SHIFT.
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