Audiences were blown away byMalignantback in 2021, quickly spreading the word that there was a huge twist no one could see coming (anyone a little behind on their watchlist, be warned – spoilers abound). ButJames Wanwasn’t the first to utilize an unborn or parasitic twin for horror purposes – if you’re not as familiar withStephen King’snovelThe Dark Half, you might recognize the name from theGeorge A. Romeroadaptation from 1993. Both movies hinge on the general idea of a fetus partially absorbing their twin in-utero, only for them to physically manifest years later, although the specific plots ofThe Dark Halfdiffer greatly fromMalignant. But the 2016 horror filmLet Her Outnot only uses the same premise but also has some very similar story beats toMalignant.It wouldn’t be much more than a fun coincidence ifLet Her Outdidn’t alsogo hard on the body horror, making it a solid watch on its own merits if you’re a fan of gory scares.
‘Let Her Out’ Is Like ‘Malignant’s’ Long-Lost Twin
Cody Calahan’sLet Her OutstarsAlanna LeViergeas Helen, a young woman who gets into an accident which results in a seemingly minor head injury. Soon after, however, Helen begins experiencing blackouts and hearinga sinister disembodied voice. She eventually learns thatshe had a twin in the womb, but not all of the embryo was absorbed, leading to a tumor-like mass of tissue in her brain. The head wound she sustained seeminglyawakened the remains of the twin, just as Gabriel was awakened inMalignant,andit’s now grown strong enough to take over Helen’s body– at least until its own body is ready. Things escalate quickly, with Helen experiencing terrifying physical changes in herself and her behavior during her blackouts, threatening to push away her closest friend, Molly (Nina Kiri).
This Film Is a Great Stephen King Adaptation but an Awful George Romero Movie
Romero sacrificed his style to offer one of the more faithful King adaptations.
In addition to the brain injury awakening the full powers of the parasitic twin,Let Her Outalso sharesMalignant’sthemes of found family vs. biological family. Helen’s mother attempted to terminate her pregnancy (which was a result of rape and possibly black magic), but Helen survived. She still feels the trauma of her biological origins as an adult but also sees Molly as a true sister, even thoughthey’re not related by blood. Still, despite these similarities, the tone ofMalignantandLet Her Outreally couldn’t be more different. James Wan’s movie hasa campy vibe to it that makes it borderline ridiculousin an entertaining way (even if whether that ridiculousness was intentional or notis up for some debate).Let Her Out, meanwhile, opts for a much more straight-forward tone, playing its horror completely seriously. This unfortunately leads to some questionable dialogue and stilted acting, but it also means thatwhen things get bloody, they getbloody.
‘Let Her Out’ Doesn’t Shy Away From Body Horror
Outside of its cold open,Malignantkeeps its grotesque imagery to a minimum for a long time – to do otherwise would spoil the twist thatAnnabelle Wallis’s Madison is being controlled by her twin, Gabriel, from the back of her own head. The emergence of Helen’s twin is more gradual inLet Her Out,leading to more moments of terrifying body horroras the twin gets stronger. One of the earlier signs of the twin’s growth is ahuge lock of stringy black hairforcing its way up Helen’s throat, which Helen then has to pull out to avoid choking. The process is agonizingly long, andthe hair is extra disgustingas it’s coated in saliva and bile and who knows what other bodily fluids. Helen also experiences injuries from the periods where her twin has taken over, shown in excruciating detail, as well asvarious new body parts growing beneath her skin. But it’s the final emergence of the twin that takes the cake and gives Gabriel’s appearance in the back of Madison’s head a run for its money. Without going into too much detail, Helen undergoesa full-body transformationakin toThe Substancewhen her twin fully manifests for the first time, and it’s shown in all its gory detail.
It’s that unflinchinglevel of body horror that makesLet Her Outworth the price of admission.It’s certain to make you squirm, saving it from being just a novelty due to its similarities toMalignant,and is a strong choice if you want your body horror actually horrific instead of being a little more on the campy side.
Let Her Out
