Tuesday, October 2, 2012

V/H/S


V/H/S is precisely the kind of movie I should not like. That statement may carry some weight (however slight it may be) with people familiar with my movie tastes. But for those unaware, I am completely unfazed by the majority of contemporary horror films. Throw the whole found footage narrative (or rather, debacle) into the mix, and I’ve all but rolled my eyes before frame one. V/H/S is the exception. The very scary, very smart, very rare exception.

Because Paranormal Activity (a film I loved then and now) singlehandedly breathed new life into the found footage genre, it’s as if we’re given a new flick of the sort every week. What sets V/H/S apart is its immediate ingenuity. Instead of one film, we’re shown five, all linked hazily by what could be considered a sixth a final film of the anthology.  Together, these shorts individually create a primal terror. Whether they incorporate extraterrestrial factors, or simply play off the most basic human fears, the films that make up V/H/S are all uniquely horrifying.

The film opens with a group of petty hooligans who, after filming themselves doing what I considered to be the most horrific thing in the movie, soon decide to break into an old man’s house and steal some tapes. A friend has told them that the tapes will sell for cash money online, so into the house they go. Once inside, they split up and one kid eventually plops down in front of a TV and begins playing tapes. That’s where the films of V/H/S come from.
Now, the easiest way to go about this review would be to give brief plot descriptions of the individual segments. But I think that’s unfair to the films themselves. Instead, it’s important to note that plotlines as tired as a honeymooning couple, drunk guys trying to pick up chicks, a group of friends in the woods, and bros at a Halloween party, are all given a thorough upgrade here.

But, really, this is tricky. It’s difficult enough to build and maintain a sense of dread throughout one feature length horror film, so the risk in doing that for five short films could merit uneven results. At best. The ups and downs of V/H/S could tire the viewer to no end. But, simply put, there are no ups and downs in this film. Despite the fact that we’re presented with a handful of completely separate stories, fear is built, held, and kept throughout. I’m not quite sure I’ve ever experienced that from a movie before. A-

(Note: You can watch V/H/S now via iTunes, Amazon, and OnDemand, or Friday in select cities. Either way, watch it with the lights off and sound up. Hopefully you’ll enjoy its deception as much as I did.)

23 comments:

  1. Excellent review man. I'm convinced. Adding this to my watchlist.

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    1. Bitchin' man, I really dug this one. Genuinely scared the shit out of me.

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  2. Wait a second, is that an actual good new horror flick? Because those are just about the hardest to come by these days.

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    1. No. Doubt.

      I definitely thought this was good. But I can foresee some people not liking it. Either way, highly recommended by me.

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  3. I really enjoyed the film (I liked the anthology/found footage mix) but a few of the stories were kind of weak. The honeymoon tale in particular. I wouldn't mind getting a few sequels to this movie - I really enjoy the anthology format. The problem with a lot of found footage flicks in my opinion is that they get old fast. With shorter stories that risk is much greater.

    Glad you dug the movie!

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    1. See, that's so interesting. The Honeymoon short was by far my favorite. That's the kind of fright I am attracted to (or, rather, the kind that scares me the most). I'm not afraid of arms coming out of walls, or ghost babies running around an apartment, or some blood sucking demon girl - what scares me is someone coming into my hotel room and filming my while I'm sleeping. That shit is real.

      But anyway, what's interesting about this (and other anthology films), is hearing which segments people like and dislike the most. I would definitely be up for a sequel here!

      What was your favorite segment?

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    2. My favorite was the first one with the guys trying to pick up chicks - "Amateur Night". I really liked the concept and certain scenes were truly chilling.

      My problem with the honeymoon short is how it ended. The beginning was creepy but it seemed like the filmmakers just kind of gave up three quarters through. I have a bit of a problem with Ti West. I really liked House of the Devil, which was a slow burn but the payoff was great. The Innkeepers sucked hard. I fell asleep. It seems he thinks since the slowburn worked for HotD that it'll work for the rest of his films...

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    3. Definitely fair enough about West. I really dug the nostalgia of HotD, but yeah, wasn't the biggest fan of Innkeepers. Either way, Amateur Night was fucking awesome too. That one creeped me out, for sure.

      I'd also love to have a private chat about the Skype segment. I mean... what was that?

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    4. For sho - email or DM me. That one was interesting.

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  4. Ooh, I heard some major hate for this at MIFF...Hmm, you always make it sound convincing though. However, you know me, and you know how horror is something I can't handle very well! Time will tell how long it takes me to see this!

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    1. Ha, I do know how averse you are to horror films, so you may want to stay away from this one! I'm a pretty tough scare, and this shook me up.

      It's funny, when I tweeted about this review, some of my Aussie followers hit back that they thought the movie was garbage. The Aussie/US divide is really interesting. Maybe it is too American, I dunno...

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  5. Good review Alex. Some parts were better than others, but overall, I was pretty tense throughout the whole film. The first segment and last were definitely the best out of the two, while the others in-between didn't have much going for them other than having a few jump-scares here and there.

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    1. Thanks Dan. Are you considering the kids breaking into the house as the first or last segment? Or the drunk guys as the first segment? Just like to know which one you liked the best!

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  6. Hmmm ... I just don't know about this one. :)

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    1. If you like scary movies, do it! If you don't like them, stay away!

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  7. I'm a bit surprised you give it such high marks as it goes against the critical consensus at the moment. I may end up watching it since it goes with the holiday spirit and it's available OnDemand.
    Good review!

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    1. It is interesting that this one seems to be strictly love/hate. But I dunno, I was completely taken with it. Which is so very rare for me concerning this type of film.

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  8. Thanks for the info, Victor. Movie looks creepy and unique!

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  9. I know a lot of the reviews around the internet are pretty damning, but you have to take V/H/S in context. This is not a major horror film. The great thing about the horror genre is that it doesn't have to be linear, an anthology doesn't have to have a larger story arc, and it's better when you don't know who any of the actors are. Everyone knows that Ethan Hawke wasn't going to die until the end, if at all, in Sinister. I didn't expect good acting, but I expected to be able to follow the story. It was pretty clear they filmed the guys getting the tapes first, then taped the segments because the guys didn't really talk about what they were seeing. I could have sworn after the second segment that the old guy was missing from the chair and after the third tape he was back in the chair. In the Skype segment I know that it being dark is key, but no one keeps the lights off when there is a poltergeist in the house. And are we to believe she's digging in her arm with a sharp object and feeling no pain?

    All in all you have to take it for what it is. A Return of the Living Dead quality horror flick. Appreciate the effort, watch it in the dark, and be high ask fuck. LOL

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    1. Ha, you're final sentence made me laugh. Hilarious. But yeah, I felt like people were a little harsh with this one. I really enjoyed it, for all the reasons you mentioned. It tried things a different way and, in my mind, really succeeded. Thanks for reading and commenting!

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