Review of Malice (1993) by Caleb M — 20 Jun 2010

What Obsession is to Vertigo, Malice is to Obsession.

Malice has more twists than both those previous films combined, but it misses the mark on just how to fully make sense of them. Really though, that doesn't matter if the atmosphere is right. Both Vertigo and Obsession had an odd, unique aura about them that made them compelling viewing even when their plots spiraled too fast for comprehension at times (De Palma's Femme Fatale was an even better attempt at capturing that feeling). Malice doesn't quite have that atmosphere. It's there, it's just that the actual plot takes up a third or less of the screen time, and we're left with Bill Pullman's Andy as a protagonist who takes forever to realize what he's gotten into. Still, the film is filled with so many twists and tense moments that even though I was a step ahead of Andy, there was still two characters I wasn't: Kidman's Tracy and Baldwin's Dr. Jed Hill.

The film really does pick up in the last ten minutes or so, and the twists come fast and hard. Too bad Baldwin doesn't have a larger role, as he gives the most entertainingly compelling performance. Kidman just comes off as too evil by the end, and Pullman is such a rube that he almost seems stupid, if he weren't just a rube. Still, having such interesting plots lines as Dr. Hill's is part of what makes Malice fun.