If you’ve been an avid fan of horror films, you know there is a pantheon of rules to follow. For example, don’t say “I’ll be right back.” (You will most likely not be). Another would be not to accept an unsolicited “gift” from a stranger. Writer/director Bryan Bertino uses that theme in “Vicious,” his first feature film since 2020’s “Dark and the Wicked.” In some cases, the writer/director merges the confined home invasion thriller sensibilities from 2008’s “The Strangers” and the dark, saturated dread present in “Dark” within his new film. Emotions of grief, pain, and depression often feel as if you’re trapped inside a cold box with no window or door to climb out.
Tristan Nyby’s cinematography keeps the film dimly lit, often saturated with dark colors. While the atmosphere is uniform and confident, the story and some of the logic leave more questions than answers. Much to “Vicious” detriment, the film seems more concerned with keeping you guessing rather than providing a substantial narrative runway to deliver on Dakota Fanning’s inspired performance. Polly (Fanning) is locked within the doldrums of melancholy within a big home that is in a state of disrepair. Dead flowers, unwashed dishes, and a phone full of voicemails from concerned family members and friends set the stage for this troubled protagonist. Polly is gearing up for a big job interview the very next day, but something is eating away at her.
Kathryn Hunter stars in Paramount Pictures’ “VICIOUS.”
Even then, she exhibits an act of kindness in welcoming a disheveled older woman (played by Kathryn Hunter) inside to help her find her son’s home. While the conversation is a little uneasy, it’s nothing to be completely alarmed about. That’s until the woman shifts her demeanor and says, “I’d like to start now.” She takes an old wooden box from her bag and places it on Polly’s table. Inside the box is an hourglass, and as the woman flips it over, she tells Polly she’s going to die.
As you could imagine, Polly, like any normal human being would, if a stranger informs them that their expiration date is near – she kicks the lady out of her house. Unfortunately, the box somehow materialized back onto that same table. To possibly thwart whatever fate awaits her before the last bead of sand falls, she has to give the box three things: something she hates, something she loves, and something she can’t live without. Things get out of sorts quickly, and we are pretty much in Polly’s position in terms of information. Devices such as a particular song by The Mamas and The Papas and phone calls are utilized to tip the protagonist off that she is not alone. There are demonic forces at play that are watching her every move to make sure Polly completes the three-pronged bounty.
Dakota Fanning stars in Paramount Pictures’ “VICIOUS.”
The rules of the box are very loosely defined, much like the overall thesis statement of the film. One piece of dialogue seeks to sum Bertino’s thoughts and Polly’s ordeal (and others) together, but there are too many hanging outliers that exist. A moment exists where one of the things given serves as an expository device for Polly’s backstory. In looking for something she hates, you find out Polly’s father died of sickness when she and her sister were young. As a religious family, she grew to resent her faith, blaming it for her loss. With the other two requirements, “Vicious” uses them as templates for more gory aspects of the story or to pull the wool over the eyes of the main character. In fact, the many misdirects in the story will keep you from connecting with Polly’s emotional plight.
We sense that she’s distraught and hoping for something to alleviate her distress. The ray of sunshine may come in the form of her niece, Aly (Emily Mitchell), but rather than dive into why that is, “Vicious” elects to keep things shaky. Ultimately, the audience and the film’s protagonist are no closer to truly understanding what they’ve been through and why it happened.
