Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet streamed Vicious via Paramount+ subscription, so be warned, and don’t answer the door!
I’m always impressed when a horror film’s sound can provoke visceral audience reactions as successfully (or more so) than the visuals, and The Strangers helmer Bryan Bertino’s 2025 movie release, Vicious, is indeed one of those movies. Currently streaming after originally being set for theaters, Vicious puts Dakota Fanning’s Polly in the middle of a single-location nightmare, and one of Bertino’s smartest moves here (beyond the A+ casting) was limiting the music to match the narrative, so that Fanning and the sound design take center stage.
More On Vicious
Director: Bryan Bertino
Writer: Bryan Bertino
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Katrhryn Hunter, Rachel Blanchard, Devyn Nekoda, Mary McCormack
Runtime: 98 mins.
Rating: R for strong bloody violence, some grisly images, and language.
Review: Read our Vicious review here!
upcoming horror movies when it comes to having main characters aggressively gagging on supernatural keys, as well as for evil mirror reflections and other genre movie tricks.
Vicious is currently streaming among other excellent horror movies on Paramount+, and here’s hoping everyone is living nice and happy lives after everything that went on, even though that seems about as likely as Polly’s dad calling me right now. Ooh, hold on, I hear my phone buzzing somewhere…