V/H/S (2012) Review

V/H/S – 2012

Director/s: Radio Silence, David Bruckner, Gleen McQuaid, Ti West, Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard.

Starring: Mainly unknowns

 

I had been waiting to watch V/H/S since I first heard about it at the start of the year when the guys on Pretty Much It were talking about it.  Once I saw the trailer I was sold.  It looked right up my alley.

As a fan of horror films I can say that I was very very happy with what I saw about 45 minutes ago.  Wow. Wow. Wow.  Some of the most original but in some cases disturbing stuff I have ever seen.

V/H/S is a horror film anthology which features five short films and one framing story.  The framing story is about a group of guys who are getting paid to break into a house and steal a VHS tape.  The guys have to watch the VHS tapes to fine the one they are looking for, that’s when the story films are played.  

 

I can say that I didn’t dislike any of the shorts; the only thing that was potentially bothersome was the framing story.  I enjoyed them in this order:

1. 10/31/1998

Strength: It was funny but still maintained its horror.
Weakness:  It was a bit short for my liking

2. Tuesday the 17th 

Strength: Originality with a the ‘camping’ horror
Weakness: The acting (even though I think it was forced to be that way)

3. Second Honeymoon

Strength: Everything that happened in it made sense in the end.
Weakness:  Went for too long.

4. The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger 

Strength: It went from cliché to original and I liked the twist on it.
Weakness: The webcam thing peeved me off at times.

5. Amateur Night

Strength: Story was put together great
Weakness: Too much was shown in trailers—gives it away (pretty much ruined it for me, still liked it none the less)

 

Overall, it’s a film that you have to suspend a bit of belief with, for example ‘why/how were all these tapes together and all transferred on to VHS tapes’ etc.  I found that the reasons why each event was actually filmed were valid—it would have been something that annoyed me if they weren’t.

I had a few peeves while watching the first minor one was the nudity.  I don’t like a lot of nudity in films and this one had A LOT, but I could live with it.  The massive peeve I had while watching the film was the fact that I was waiting to be shocked and scared for most of the time since each short’s story had to be set up.  Sometimes this period was too long and I just wanted it to get to the scare already.

I was disappointed though that some of the film was spoiled for me from the trailer and pictured still shots (mainly the first one).  I felt like if I hadn’t of known about some stuff happening it would have been better.  So don’t watch the trailers!

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Amateur Night: 

This one was spoiled for me a lot from the trailer etc, I really think most people will know what is going to happen in this short because of this.  I found that the glasses camera was way cool, but I hated the tension that builded up when he was waiting to leave the hotel room and when he was stuck at the bottom of the stairs—not it a good way, it really annoyed me—maybe it was because I just wanted him to get away.  I enjoyed the vision of him running away from her and how he and was pulled up into the air in the end.

Second Honeymoon: The killing scene was so brutal!! My gosh!  It was so realistic that I had to look away.  I had a feeling while I was watching that either the husband or the wife was a part of it in some way. The killers mask is so freaky. I feel like everything that was mentioned in this short made sense in the end.

Tuesday the 17th:  I knew something was up with that chick in the car ride, I knew there was something more to her trip.  Such an original the idea: the killer, the reason why she wanted them all there and why she wanted to film.  Even though the acting was pretty average, I still enjoyed it because I felt like they were going for a bit of a ‘silly high school camping in the woods’ vibe so I dealt with it.

The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger:  Mind blown, you could have never guessed how it would end.  After I finished watching it I just sat there thinking ‘what just happened!’  So original and weird as hell.  It does a complete 180 on you! 

10/31/1998:  I found this one really funny.  My favourite part is when they start chanting with the creepy cult; just joining in with the ‘show’ and the cult just looks at them like ‘what are you doing in here?’  To have them go to the wrong address and end up at a real haunted house is such a brilliant idea. Classic!  The effects in this one were awesome and creative.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

I got to say it was great, there is a bit of something for everybody with all the classic motifs of horror being explored and I actually wished there was more while watching it. I could have watched it all day!

Rating: 8.5/10