I think Toxic would work if it was a 2 season series rather than 1 movie

I think this plot demands to be a series on Netflix. Like 1st season where it would show Raya's rise and start of his decline, and end with Ticket being thrown in the river with the car at a cliffhanger.

The second season will begin with Raya saving Ticket (or we are made to think so). And then it plays out like 2 storys: Raya's journey after so many loved ones have died and rise of Ticket. And end as the movie ended.

Two 8-episode seasons would be great and not feel congested, and the genre shift would also not be jarring. Right I think the movie failed because it felt like an OTT series plot (in terms of length) being squeezed into a 3hr film. It really feels like they had too many things but very little time fully expand on them.