Year: 2013
Runtime: 85 mins
Language: English
Director: Brian Avenet-Bradley
The Experiment is Real. After the death of his wife, a grieving man becomes the victim of a horrific experiment to cure his addiction.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen Malignant yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of Malignant (2013), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
A chilling tale that begins at the Simion Research Hospital where Dr. [Florence Weaver] meticulously records footage concerning a patient named Gabriel, who is growing increasingly unstable. The situation escalates when Gabriel escapes captivity, unleashing a brutal rampage that results in the killing of multiple staff members. As Weaver and her team confront the creature, they discover a disturbing detail: behind Gabriel’s monstrous exterior lies a connection to a young girl, revealed only through haunting visuals of the hospital and her own traumatic past. Weaver’s declaration, “It’s time to cut out the cancer,” hints at the dark intervention she plans.
Fast forward to present-day Seattle, where Madison Mitchell [Annabelle Wallis] is navigating her fourth pregnancy following three previous miscarriages. Her abusive husband, Derek [[Jake Abel]], blames Madison for the heartbreak and failure of her pregnancies. During a heated argument, he violently throws her against a wall, causing a head injury that leaves her bleeding. Despite his apologies, Madison is deeply shaken and retreats into her room.
Later that night, Derek notices strange shadows and hears unsettling noises around the house. When he investigates, he encounters a supernatural figure that seems to stalk him and eventually brutally murders him. Madison, discovering her husband’s mutilated body, becomes the target of this malevolent presence herself. She is chased through her house and falls unconscious. Emergency responders take her to the hospital, where her sister Sydney [[Maddie Hasson]] delivers heartbreaking news: Derek is dead, and Madison has again lost her baby.
At the hospital, Madison encounters Detectives Kekoa Shaw [[George Young]] and Regina Moss [[Michole Briana White]], who begin investigating the murders. Madison’s story quickly intertwines with a series of terrifying supernatural events, including visions of a shadowy figure and flashes of her past—specifically, her childhood, revealing she was adopted at age nine and had a complex, traumatic relationship with Gabriel.
Meanwhile, the entity, later identified as Gabriel, continues its killing spree, targeting Dr. Weaver’s colleague, [Dr. Victor Fields], and visibly tormenting Madison with distorted visions. It is soon uncovered that Gabriel is not just a monster but a parasitic, conjoined twin that was surgically removed from Madison decades ago. This twin, a teratoma tumor, had been dormant in her head, manipulating her mind and causing her to commit the horrific murders while she was unaware.
The investigation reveals chilling details about Madison’s past, including her biological mother, Serena May, who had given her up due to being a rape victim. It’s shown that Weaver and her team experimented on Madison, trying to understand Gabriel—an evil manifestation of her own parasitic twin. As Madison pieces together her history, she realizes Gabriel’s influence is behind the murders and manipulations.
The story reaches a crescendo when Madison, overwhelmed but determined, confronts Gabriel. Using her newfound knowledge and mental strength, she creates a prison inside her mind, trapping Gabriel forever, preventing him from harming anyone again. As Gabriel screams behind his prison bars, Madison finally finds peace. She embraces her sister Sydney, acknowledging her as her true family and hero.
Throughout this harrowing journey, the film delves into themes of trauma, identity, and the unseen battles within ourselves. Its blend of supernatural horror and psychological drama offers a chilling exploration of the monstrous that often lurks in hidden corners of the human mind.
Last Updated: August 05, 2025 at 06:58
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where the self is corrupted by an unrecognizable, internal threat.This collection features movies like Malignant, where the core horror stems from a fractured identity and internal supernatural forces. If you enjoyed the psychological unraveling and body horror of discovering a hidden, monstrous self, these similar thrillers and horror stories deliver that same chilling experience.
Narratives in this thread often follow a protagonist uncovering a dreadful secret about their own existence. The central conflict is internal, a battle against a parasitic or dual nature that manifests violently. The climax typically involves a physical and psychological confrontation to reclaim or destroy the invading identity.
These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the horror of the self. They blend psychological terror with visceral body horror, creating a unique sense of dread that comes from the threat within, rather than an external monster. The tone is consistently dark, intense, and deeply unsettling.
A character's psyche fractures under the weight of buried horrors.Explore films similar to Malignant that focus on a character's psychological descent fueled by trauma. If you liked the theme of buried abuse and experimentation coming to light in a violent, unsettling way, these movies feature parallel journeys of dark discovery and fractured sanity.
The narrative pattern follows a character, often grieving or vulnerable, whose perception of reality becomes unreliable. As they investigate a present-day mystery, they are forced to uncover repressed memories of trauma—such as abuse or medical experimentation—which are directly linked to the current supernatural or violent events. The journey is one of grim revelation.
These films share a heavy emotional weight and a dark tone, grounded in themes of psychological trauma and recovery. The pacing is often steady, building unease as the past encroaches on the present. They deliver a mix of psychological horror and thriller elements, resulting in a deeply anxious and disturbing experience.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Malignant in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Malignant is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Malignant with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Malignant. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Malignant that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Malignant: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.