Bryan Bertino, the filmmaker who launched the home-invasion hit The Strangers, returns to his lean, unsettling territory with Vicious. Known for crafting tight, sympathy‑free chamber horrors, Bertino sticks to that sensibility here, delivering a film that leans into cold detachment and sustained dread. Generically titled but distinct in tone, Vicious centers on a claustrophobic ordeal that plays more like an endurance test than a conventional scarefest. Dakota Fanning carries the movie on her shoulders, giving a committed, raw performance as she screams and grapples with escalating menace. Her emotional intensity is the film’s anchor, and for stretches it keeps the atmosphere taut and compelling. But Vicious ultimately falters under the weight of its own austerity: the slow-burn approach and repeated beats begin to wear the movie down, blunting some of the intended impact. For viewers who appreciate minimalist, character-driven horror and a lead performance that refuses to play safe, Vicious offers moments of genuine unease. Those seeking a tighter plot or more sustained payoff, however, may find the film’s endurance format taxing rather than thrilling.