Overview

• Vicious, written and directed by The Strangers creator Bryan Bertino, is now streaming on Paramount+ and available for digital purchase.
• The film centers on Polly (Dakota Fanning) and a mysterious box delivered by an eerie visitor, a device that drives escalating tests and sacrifices.
• Recent interviews have the director framing the movie’s sensory assault and unresolved struggle as a reflection of living with anxiety.
• Early reactions are polarized, with Variety publishing a negative review while several outlets single out Fanning’s intense near-solo performance.
• A bumpy rollout shifted the title from a planned theatrical release to a Fantastic Fest premiere and a direct streaming/digital debut, with Rotten Tomatoes showing 48% from 25 reviews.