Horror anthologies have been part of the horror genre for a long time. Some anthologies, like Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, have been very good, while many others have not been memorable. In horror, if something is done too often, it can lose its impact.
This has happened with anthologies as well. However, in 2012, anthologies received a new life with the film V/H/S. This film combined short films with the realism of found footage.
It was created by Brad Miska and Bloody Disgusting. V/H/S became one of the scariest films of the 2010s and helped launch the careers of the Radio Silence team.
Due to the success of V/H/S, a franchise was created. This has resulted in six sequels with different levels of quality. Now, we have the seventh film, V/H/S/Beyond, which was released on Shudder on October 4. This new film aims to change things by making sci-fi the main focus of each story.
The short films do not include slashers or earthly monsters. However, the familiar formula of shaky cameras and scared characters being chased by a monster remains in every segment.
Even though the segments in V/H/S/Beyond may feel predictable, they are enjoyable and well-made because of big names like Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel, and Justin Long. If you liked the previous V/H/S films, you will probably like this one as well, but do not expect any major changes.
‘V/H/S/Beyond’ Starts Off Strong With Its Best Segment
The title V/H/S/Beyond suggests that it will feature monsters that are beyond our planet. This idea is clear in the wraparound segments that surround the short films. Jay Cheel’s “Abduction/Adduction” takes the form of a docuseries about aliens. It aims to show whether life exists on other worlds.
This sets the stage for V/H/S/Beyond. However, the storyline is not as strong as in the wraparounds of other V/H/S films. “Abduction/Adduction” immerses its audience in the new themes, and it does this effectively.
The horror begins with “Stork,” which is co-written and directed by Jordan Downey, who is known for ThanksKilling. Some people might find that part of his resume unappealing, but “Stork” is not a crude or silly horror comedy. Instead, it is intense and frightening.
The video footage comes from a cop named Segura (played by Phillip Andre Botello) and body cam footage from other police officers. They learn that several babies have gone missing in a local town over the last few months.
Now, they have a lead about where the suspect might be, so they prepare for a raid on a creepy house at night. This setting is always effective for horror. What is inside the house is truly scary and not human.
The police encounter various monsters in the house. These monsters are vicious and run directly at their targets (which are the viewers). They do not go down easily, needing a few shots to the head. The makeup design of the monsters really makes “Stork” work because they are not poor CGI creations or hidden nightmares.
The viewers see the monsters up close, and their realistic design keeps everyone engaged. The plot starts to feel like a shoot ’em up video game. And the surprise in the attic is something to look forward to. Without revealing too much, it is played by Dane DiLeigro, who acted as the Predator in Prey.
There is nothing human about “Dream Girl” either. This is the first Indian segment in the franchise. It follows a two-man paparazzi team, including a young man named Sonu (played by Rohan Joshi), on the set of a Bollywood film. They aim to get photos of the beautiful Bollywood star, Tara (played by Namrata Sheth).
They are fortunate to be invited on set to watch her perform. However, one of them decides to dig deeper into Tara’s life, discovering things that are not of this world. “Dream Girl” might not be the scariest segment, but it delivers a strong message for our times. The final images highlight how obsessed we are with famous actors. We often do not treat them like real people, and in “Dream Girl,” they may not be.
‘V/H/S/Beyond’ Falls Into a Redundant Pattern
While “Dream Girl” offers creepy horror with a message, it also reveals a weakness in much of V/H/S/Beyond. Many segments in this film follow the same predictable formula of friends with a camera discovering something sinister.
This sinister presence then chases the characters while the camera shakes wildly before they are killed one by one. This creates a fun visual experience, but it loses excitement when the ride feels the same as the one before. This is very clear in “Live and Let Dive” from Justin Martinez, a co-creator of Radio Silence.
In this segment, skydivers on a small plane film themselves before their jump. They see a UFO in the sky, and their curiosity quickly turns to fear as the strange craft gets closer, leading to typical alien chaos. The segment features great midair shots and an interesting design for the alien monsters.
However, the camera shakes too much, and even a seasoned viewer like me had to look away at times to avoid dizziness. The repeated jump scares and monsters that disappear only to jump at the camera again become tiring. The premise is fun, but the outcomes feel too familiar.
The strangest segment belongs to “Fur Babies,” written and directed by Justin Long and his brother, Christian Long. It stands out because its story is not easy to predict. This segment follows a film crew of animal rights activists visiting a woman named Becky (played by Libby Letlow), who runs a doggy daycare.
Becky is the best character in V/H/S/Beyond. She is a cheerful, single middle-aged woman who wears sweaters and is obsessed with her pets. Her excitement seems almost unreal. The animal rights crew uses hidden cameras to investigate Becky while pretending to be interested in her services.
It becomes chilling when she suddenly goes from cheerful to dead silent when she notices a camera. We learn what she is truly doing when she leads the crew to her basement to show off her dog training studio. This segment is funny at times, but it is also so messed up and disgusting that it may make you think twice before going to a doggy daycare again.
‘Stowaway’ Comes from the Minds of Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel
V/H/S/Beyond concludes with “Stowaway,” written by Mike Flanagan and directed by his wife, Kate Siegel, in her directorial debut. Since Mike Flanagan is a modern master of horror, many expect “Stowaway” to be the best segment. Unfortunately, it was the one that worked the least for me.
The segment focuses on one character, a woman named Halley (played by Alanah Pearce), who makes a documentary about strange lights in the Mojave Desert. The segment starts off similar to The Blair Witch Project, but the story falls apart when Halley follows the lights and steps onto an alien craft.
“Stowaway” deserves recognition for moving away from the usual V/H/S formula of shaking cameras, screams, and rampaging monsters. It offers a story without all the answers, but the dark and low-quality camera work makes it difficult to understand what is happening most of the time.
V/H/S/Beyond is in the middle of the pack for the franchise. It is not as terrifying as the first film and is not as bad as V/H/S/Viral. Instead, it is on par with more recent entries. More films will surely follow, but it is time for a change. Creating more segments with different genres is not enough; the formula must change.
The V/H/S franchise should move away from shaky cameras and the usual monsters-on-the-loose formula, showing new ideas like “Stowaway” attempted (with better results, please). In 2012, V/H/S reinvented found footage horror. Now it is time for the franchise to reinvent itself.
