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Dakota Fanning's Film 'Vicious' Struggles to Deliver on a Promising Concept, Resulting in a Fatal Mishap

Bryan Bertino's movie, "Vicious," set for release on Paramount+ on October 10, debuted at Fantastic Fest 2025.

Dakota Fanning's film 'Vicious' falls short of a promising concept with a fatal mistake in its...
Dakota Fanning's film 'Vicious' falls short of a promising concept with a fatal mistake in its execution

Dakota Fanning's Film 'Vicious' Struggles to Deliver on a Promising Concept, Resulting in a Fatal Mishap

The much-anticipated horror film, "Vicious," directed by Bryan Bertino and starring Dakota Fanning, made its debut at Fantastic Fest 2025. The film, however, does not repeat earlier facts about its premiere or the requirements of the mysterious box at its centre.

"Vicious" presents a tantalizing premise: a mysterious box that demands Polly, Fanning's character, to put three things in it – something she hates, something she needs, and something she loves. The box, acting as its own character, communicates with Polly via phone calls.

The film's plot primarily shows Polly torturing herself in a bid to fulfil the box's demands, but the film's attempts at a thematic sentiment are not effective due to viewer frustration from the inconsistent plot. The box can lie to Polly, and its presence in the film causes a lack of cohesion.

In its best moments, the film invites self-reflection about the box's contents, but this is often undermined by the phone calls from the box that dictate Polly's actions, eliminating potential self-reflection. The film does not effectively explore thematic sentiments due to viewer frustration from the inconsistent plot.

The film is not without its merits. The lead performance in the film is excellent, and the film presents some disgusting gore throughout. However, the film is maddening due to its lack of delivery in the way viewers hope. Even after Polly does what the box wants, the film continues, raising questions about its worth.

Despite these shortcomings, "Vicious" offers a unique and intriguing premise that leaves viewers questioning the origin of the mysterious box. The film will debut on Paramount+ on October 10, and it remains to be seen if the film will find its footing and deliver on its potential.

Unfortunately, the search results do not provide information about the origin of the mysterious box in the film "Vicious," leaving viewers in suspense until its release. The film does not have a strong thematic sentiment, and it does not repeat earlier facts about its premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 or the requirements of the mysterious box. No new facts about Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, or Doctor Who releases are mentioned in this paragraph.

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