If you've ever seen a horror movie revolving around boxes, then you know they spell nothing but trouble. From Hellraiser to Wish Upon, boxes have always been pure, unadulterated evil. The latest confirmation comes from Bryan Bertino, where Dakota Fanning learns, in no uncertain terms, why gift boxes aren’t always filled with joy and surprise.

Fanning, in a career-defining performance, tackles the character of Polly, bringing depth to a role that is both physically and emotionally tormented. The film introduces us to her as she anxiously navigates her unkempt house, chain-smoking, and trying on dresses for a crucial upcoming appointment. However, it's her compassionate decision to open the door to a disoriented elderly woman during a cold twilight that sets the chilling tale in motion. The elderly woman - portrayed by the undeniably gifted Kathryn Hunter, known for her eerily convincing portrayal of witches - is about to pull Polly into a deadly game.

Concrete evidence that the holiday visit isn’t a social call comes when the elder says, “I’m going to start now,” and begins setting up a foreboding wooden box with a large hourglass. Like the most menacing of insurance salespeople, she tells Polly, “You’re going to die tonight.” But, she may survive if she fills the box with a hate symbol, a necessity, and a cherished object. Sounds like the worst Christmas party game ever, right?

This ill-fated encounter marks the beginning of a terrifying and ghastly night for Polly. She seeks help from her loved ones and even sacrifices herself in horrifying ways to save her young niece from the box’s deadly grasp. Along the way, Polly is haunted by terrifying occurrences and ghastly self-mutilations.

Master of horror, Bertino, who gave us gems like The Strangers and The Dark and the Wicked, expertly creates an unsettling atmosphere that keeps the audience on edge. His knack for pulse-raising moments and Dakota Fanning's mesmerizing performance keep the plot engaging, despite the story’s disjointed narrative.

However, as the film's unnerving incidents unfold, it becomes evident that it's more a string of horrific interludes than a tidily woven story. The chilling sequences include Polly choking on a vintage key, a demon encounter, a neighbor’s horrific self-stabbing spree, and even a mirror reflection that talks. To top it off, classic songs are twisted, giving a chilling backdrop to the bucolic horror scenes.

While the film, Vicious, brings to mind Polanski's Repulsion with its haunting mental disintegration depiction, it falls short in achieving the same level of greatness. Bertino’s approach to the rules of horror here feels a tad too adventurous and results in a viewing experience more perplexing than it is provocative. By the film's end, any hope of deciphering meaning from the psychological maze is long lost. Still, Vicious stands tall as a hair-raising and spine-chilling addition to the horror domain.