Maléfique (2002)

(On Cable TV, March 2022) While Maléfique doesn’t quite manage to bring all of its ideas together, it succeeds at presenting an interesting mix of horror elements in an unusual setting. After a perfunctory prologue setting up the occult carceral developments to come, Maléfique gets down to business, presenting four men locked in the same prison cell who discover a mysterious book hidden behind a loose brick. A book filled with mysterious incantations, possibly allowing them to escape through supernatural means. Of course, that’s not going to happen with a mere incantation and a snap of the fingers—blood sacrifice is required, and things quickly escalate within the claustrophobic walls of the cell. Director Éric Valette keeps things interesting despite working with a minimal set, with the actors gamely playing along. Maléfique is a small surprise—not a horror classic, but a competent B-movie with unusual thrills, a decently ironic conclusion and plenty of spooky occult material along the way. It becomes even better when it’s measured against so many monster-of-the-week horror films.