“What’s in the box?” “Only what you take with you.”

Home alone in a big house on a wintry night, Polly (Dakota Fanning) hears the most unusual thing: a knock on her door. An older woman (Kathryn Hunter) seems confused by Polly answering, claiming she was looking for someone who used to live there. Unsure of what to do but unwilling to leave her out in the cold unattended, Polly hesitantly invites the woman in. After exchanging awkward pleasantries, the woman places a sizable black box on a coffee table and removes an hourglass from inside of it, telling her host she’ll die tonight and that the box “is hers now.” Before the woman can explain further, Polly panics and ushers the woman (box in hand) back outside, but after checking on her moments later, the stranger is nowhere to be found, having left the box in the middle of the street. Polly might have dismissed all of it outright… except the box and hourglass reappears on her coffee table moments later, suggesting all of her sinister suspicions have been correct.

The Strangers writer and director Bryan Bertino unleashes a classic “curse that keeps on cursing” upon his characters. The trailer mentions rules about what goes into the mysterious box (oh noes!) and of course what’s expected if the victim fails to comply. Films like the exceptional 1408 explore similar themes: a self-destructive protagonist, an inescapable situation where the rules aren’t clear or change at any moment, and of course a supernatural element or catalyst. Until Dawn explored this theme as well earlier this year, showcasing what happens when you lose the narrative and repulse your audience in spite of any credited fright factor. To the film’s credit, everything is better when Kathryn Hunter has a part to play, but also knowing the big reveal for The Strangers was nothing in particular, what does Vicious promise in return for the offering of your precious attention?

Our introduction to Fanning’s Polly is immediately stocked with intrigue, from why she occupies a huge home alone to her reluctant seeking of employment. In a case of playing ones cards too close to the chest, Bertino doesn’t offer quick explanations, making it very difficult to see his protagonist as worthy, i.e. why the audience should care. When we finally get some clues, they feel frivolous when added to guessing what the box wants within the immediacy of a countdown. The longer everything goes unanswered, the more frustrating the film becomes until it’s a hate watch, daring the narrative to justify having wasted our time. Yes, there’s a payoff, and no, it isn’t the worst idea — see Knock at the Cabin for worse — but it feels more like a ripoff of interesting bits from better films desperately seeking any kind of conclusion. Let’s just say ignoring a scam email with a ridiculous limited-time offer to be rewarded (or avoid a penalty) is easy enough, but you don’t have to be a horror enthusiast to assume anyone falling for a desperate Nigerian prince or a gift-card-seeking IRS agent is uselessly pathetic.

In a film where knowing the rules doesn’t mean you understand the situation, the plot seems wildly random, maybe even having been gutted in the editing suite. It pulls viewers out of the narrative to ask why filmmakers made their choices instead of the characters — never a good thing. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies teetered on this point, and while plenty of folks enjoyed the idea, it also sucked the air out of the theater. Not one character tried to smash the death clock in Until Dawn — you know, the weird ornate McGuffin thingy obviously resetting the timeline after everyone dies and comes back multiple times? In 1408, John Cusack’s Mike Enslin isn’t a good person when we meet him, having lost his way but given an opportunity to ensure no one else suffers because of him, eventually taking on that responsibility regardless of any ultimate price to pay. The denouement of Vicious suggests none of this, and while our protagonist may not have deserved her situation, the ending still in no way excuses what choices she ultimately made.

Finally, there’s It Follows: a venereal disease cursed into a shapeshifting ravager, always in pursuit and offering no escape, asking the question of what someone is willing to do just to stay alive a little longer. While Vicious clearly builds upon a similar idea, the unrevealed malicious power behind the box and hourglass doesn’t leave its victim to their own devices, instead prodding them into action with dark visions and cruel manipulation. It borders on torture porn, asking viewers to decide who is the real monster: the box’s creator or the filmmakers? I submit The Strangers as exhibit A, your honor.

Vicious is rated R for strong bloody violence, some grisly images, language, and wasting your time putting any stock into the power of a mystery box.

One skull recommendation out of four