V/H/S Review (2012)

My Thoughts

V/H/S is one of those movies that works better than it probably should. On paper, it’s a horror anthology stitched together by a shaky premise and a lot of shaky cameras, but somehow it pulls off something a little more interesting, and a whole lot more disturbing than anyone would expect going in.

Each segment feels like it was made by someone who had something different to prove, and yeah, that also means it’s uneven at times. But when it hits, it hits.

Tape 56 – The Wraparound (Directed by Adam Wingard)

We all know the wraparound story is not the reason you watch V/H/S,but I will mention it anyway, because it’s a review.

Here we get a group of guys who break into a house to steal a VHS tape, and while they search the house, they start watching tapes, and that’s how we get the rest of the segments.

It does what it needs to do, which is to create a reason for all the shorts to exist in the same world,but it’s the least engaging part of the whole thing.

Amateur Night (Directed by David Bruckner)

This one’s the opener, and it kicks things off pretty hard. Three dudes go out drinking and try to film a night with a girl they pick up. That plan turns into a bit of a nightmare when it turns out she’s something else entirely.

It’s nasty, intense, and very effective at building some dread. You know something’s wrong almost immediately, and the fact that the guys are too drunk and too stupid to notice just makes it worse, and the final act is awesome.

Also, it’s probably one of the best uses of the “hidden camera in glasses” idea that’s ever been done.

Second Honeymoon (Directed By Ti West)

If you’ve seen Ti West’s other work you already know the guy’s all about that slow build tension. Second Honeymoon follows a couple on a road trip, and nothing really happens for most of it, until it suddenly does.

It’s patient, and some might call it boring. But I found it pretty unnerving, especially a nighttime scene involving someone filming them while they sleep. You feel like you’re intruding on something private and dangerous.

It’s not the bloodiest short, but the way it slowly turns the camera on the audience is kind of brilliant.

Tuesday the 17th (Directed By Glenn McQuaid)

This one’s a fun idea. We have a group of friends go into the woods, slasher-style, but the killer doesn’t register properly on camera. Every time he appears, the footage glitches and distorts, like the film itself is trying to reject him.

It’s all very cool, even if visually it’s kind of a mess, and the acting’s flat. But it does have a few genuinely creepy moments, and I appreciate that it at least tried to mess with format in a new way.

It’s probably the most “student film” of the bunch, but you can see what it’s going for. It just needed more polish.

The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger (Directed by Joe Swanberg)

This sgement is all told over video chats, and it kinda feels like a prototype for the Zoom-horror subgenre that would pop up after like Unfriended, The Den and Host. It starts off like a ghost story where Emily keeps hearing things in her apartment and calls her boyfriend for support. But things then take a sharp left turn.

It’s confined and minimal, but that works in its favor. The scares come from little details here such as a shadow here, a flicker there, and all the tension builds mostly through suggestion. Then comes the twist, which I won’t spoil, but it’s weird, gross, and changes everything you thought the segment was about.

10/31/98 (Directed by Radio Silence)

This is the closer, and it’s easily the most fun for me. A group of guys in Halloween costumes show up to the wrong party and stumble into a legit haunted house scenario. They think it’s all part of the theme at first, and of course it’s not.

This one’s got a lot of energy. It moves fast, has great atmosphere, and delivers a solid mix of practical effects and creepy visuals. There’s a possessed woman, cult members, and things coming out of walls.

It’s lighter than the other segments, not in content, but in tone, and it ends the film on a high note. Definitely one of the most entertaining parts of the whole anthology.

If you for some reason haven’t seen this one, please check it out, as I think it is a must watch found footage film.

V/H/S Trailer
V/H/S on IMDB

Good Points

Strong Opening Segment – ‘Amateur Night’ Kicks the whole thing off with chaotic energy and a genuinely unsettling twist. It’s visceral, intense, and uses the format really well.

It’s All Quite Bold – The filmmakers clearly weren’t trying to play it safe here. and it’s better off for it.

Inventive Concepts – Segments like The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily and Tuesday the 17th mess with structure and perspective in ways that are genuinely interesting.

Bad Points

Thin Storylines – I know they are ‘shorts, but few segments feel like ideas that needed more development, and the setups are cool, but the payoffs are rushed or unclear.

Inconsistent Quality – Like all V/H/S films, you have some segments that are clearly weaker than others.

Is V/H/S Worth Watching?

V/H/S is uneven, but these always are. Some of the segments are fantastic, and some are just okay. But taken together, there’s something very good about how unfiltered it all feels.

Not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth your time. Now to wait for V/H/S/Halloween, which I am really looking forward to, especially after last years V/H/S Beyond.

Where To Stream

Apple TV
Shudder