Bryan Bertino is a filmmaker who is adept at giving us a dizzying array of frights on the big screen. His stories and visual style tend to stick with you, and some things you just can’t unsee. In 2008, he shocked the horror world with The Strangers. Now fast-forward to this year at Fantastic Fest where we find him returning, somewhat, to a self-contained, claustrophobic and hostile setting. Vicious is definitely in the same vein. But it’s more apt to say it’s under your skin.
The force in the story is not external; it’s already here, it’s on the inside, and it knows everything about you. Bertino’s film focuses on the idea that one can only put off anguish so long before having to face it. This not random, nor does this happen just “because you were home.” It happens because all the lies told and abandoned distractions in your life have piled too high. Now, it’s all coming down. Time is up.
But this is not malice for the sake of it. This is, in some ways, an intervention. Moreover, it’s one that is not without a challenge or sacrifice. The question you have to answer is this: do you possess the fortitude to give the box the three things to be free of it, and ultimately free yourself?
Bertino came to Austin to deliver us one hell of a fortune cookie. As the message is driven home thanks to Dakota Fanning’s fine performance and a whole lot of unsettling sound design, we learn that facing your demons is scarier than facing anything else. Enjoy our chat with Bryan!
Vicious is streaming October 10 on Paramount+.
