Bryan Fuller’s Dust Bunny arrives as something of an oddity, though in a good way. It is a fantasy action film that feels unlike most current studio releases and carries a strong sense of personal vision for a debut feature. Fuller relies more on atmosphere, fairytale logic and emotional instinct than on neat explanations. That choice gives the film a strange, lingering quality that keeps it engaging even when parts of the story falter.
The film follows Resident 5B, a worn down hit man played by Mads Mikkelsen, who is approached by eight year old Aurora after her family is brutally murdered. Aurora, played by Sophie Sloan, believes a monster under her bed was responsible. In her mind it was a literal bunny made of dust. The assassin suspects a far more human and dangerous explanation. The story that unfolds blends elements of an assassin thriller with childhood fantasy and horror. Much of the action takes place inside a New York apartment building that somehow feels both ordinary and quietly cursed.
Visually the film is often impressive. Fuller shows a confident sense of style, making strong use of colour, shadow and unusual imagery. An early sequence in Chinatown, where armed gang members hide beneath a dragon costume, immediately sets the tone and hints at the film’s strange blend of the fantastical and the grounded. Fuller allows scenes to breathe and is comfortable letting silence carry emotional weight. The film often trusts viewers to follow the feeling of a moment, even if the narrative logic occasionally slips.
Mads Mikkelsen delivers a strong performance. He brings his familiar physical presence and quiet threat, yet also reveals an unexpected softness. The way he moves between sudden violence and a calm, protective bond with Aurora becomes the emotional centre of the film. Sophie Sloan holds her own remarkably well, balancing fear, determination and an unsettling sense of certainty. Their connection gives the story its warmth. Sigourney Weaver also makes an impression as Laverne, adding an edge that strengthens the film’s darker elements.
The film does run into problems with pacing. Despite a running time of roughly one hundred minutes, the middle section begins to feel stretched as the story circles similar ideas. The shift towards larger scale action and mythic horror works in concept, though not every moment lands as intended. Some of the computer generated effects, particularly those involving the creature itself, are uneven and occasionally pull the viewer out of the experience.
The horror side of the story is also more intense than the premise might suggest. A few scenes are unexpectedly brutal, which places the film firmly outside the range of younger viewers despite its child centred perspective and fairytale tone. For some audiences this clash of innocence and violence will be intriguing, while others may find it jarring.
Even so, the ending is where the film truly finds its strength. Fuller closes the story on a note of hope rather than dread, suggesting that compassion and care are the only real protection against the monsters people create or inherit.
Dust Bunny is not without flaws. It begins strongly, slows during the middle, and finishes with confidence. What it offers above all is originality. This is a distinctive piece of fantasy horror supported by strong performances and a clear emotional core. For older teenagers and adults willing to embrace its unusual rhythm and rough edges, it leaves a lasting impression.
I enjoyed Dust Bunny and would give it a solid 8 out of 10. With tighter pacing and more refined visual effects, it might have reached an even higher mark.
Out now.
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