Prime Video's New #5 Show Is a Poor Man's 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' Set at a Discount White Lotus

The psychological thriller Malice has been recently released on Amazon Prime Video. It features a star-studded cast led by David Duchovny and British comedian Jack Whitehall.

Despite its promising premise – the story of a mysterious stranger who infiltrates a wealthy family's Greek villa – Malice is rather a disappointing compilation of other people's ideas, lacking originality and depth.

What Is 'Malice' About?

The story takes place at a luxurious villa in Greece, where the wealthy Tanner family is enjoying the perfect vacation.

The patriarch, Jamie, his wife, and their children are immersed in a carefree atmosphere until a mysterious young man named Adam Healey enters their lives. He introduces himself as a tutor and quickly charms everyone except Jamie.

It soon becomes clear that Adam is a sociopath who has spent years plotting to infiltrate and destroy the family. However, his true motives remain a mystery.

'Malice' Is a Faceless Mix of 'The White Lotus' & 'The Talented Mr. Ripley'

Series creator James Wood seems to be open about his inspirations. For example, the concept of a sociopath stealing someone else's identity is a direct reference to The Talented Mr. Ripley, and the wealthy American family setting is borrowed from The White Lotus.

However, Wood fails to create a compelling satire or offer a fresh take on familiar tropes. His take of Adam Healey pales in comparison to the charismatic performances of Matt Damon and Andrew Scott.

Jack Whitehall, primarily known for comedic roles, struggles to grasp the character's psychological complexity, rendering him more of a caricature than a menacing presence.

'Malice' Only Has Six Episodes, but They Seem to Drag On Forever

Despite its modest number of episodes, Malice has a painfully slow narrative. The plot is stretched to the breaking point and the main antagonist's motives are revealed only at the end. Each hour-long episode is filled with unnecessary scenes and incidents.

The scenes of animal cruelty, from octopus beatings to dog poisoning, are particularly perplexing – they serve neither the plot nor the character development.

Even the picturesque Greek landscapes are filmed in a tasteless and artificial way, which deprives Malice of, at least, any visual appeal.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Malice'?

• Malice has 38% from critics and 43% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 5.6/10.