"V/H/S" is a rare collaborative horror effort that actually provides consistent scares, despite some predictable flaws. Each director brings something different to the table, keeping uninitiated audiences guessing at what they are about to see.
First of all, the editors did a remarkable job making the film look like actual VHS footage. The only downside is that the grainy, shaky, low resolution transitions may slightly diminish the viewing experience for viewers who have become comfortable with the quality of modern, big budget cinema.
While the film is one of the most original found footage horror movies to come out since "The Blair Witch Project,"it can't but help but reference those that came before it. The first ten minutes of the film is basically a short version of Harmony Korine's "Trash Humpers" following the same theme of three individuals filming themselves wreaking havoc among town, vandalizing buildings, and laughing off sexual assaults. The wraparound segment also borrows from Cloverfield's "hey bro I think you might be recording over my sex tape" gag.
The sex theme continues when we watch the first tape of college aged boys looking to secretly record an amateur porno film. Things turn bloody, and "Amateur Night" ends up being one of the most harrowing segments of the movie thanks to a particularly creepy breakout performance from contortionist Hannah Fierman.
Horror fans had high hopes for Ti West's involvement in the film, after the success of "The House of the Devil" in 2008. His film about a couple's road-trip gone wrong has some effective scenes, but ends up being one of the more forgettable segments due to some pacing issues, like rushing important scenes while drawing out the more inconsequential ones.
Glenn McQuaid's modernized homage to the Friday the 13th series is one of the film's most amusing clips. Using some impressively bizarre special effects and filming techniques, this kids in the woods slasher story provides some interesting shocks in broad daylight. The horny nerd named Spider who refuses to hit a joint because he's afraid of getting "the fear" provides some much needed comic relief.
Joe Swanberg, star of Ti West's "Second Honeymoon" clip, takes a stab at directing his own short. Filmed entirely from Skype conversations, a simple haunted apartment story unravels into something much more sinister and bizarre. It's definitely one of the more unsettling clips.
Radio Silence, the crew responsible for the viral YouTube short "Alien Prank Gone Terribly Wrong" were asked to direct the final segment under the condition that they weren't allowed to use any fake blood. The result is a wildly entertaining and spine tingling train ride of an usual Halloween party.
So, does it live up to the hype as one of the scariest movies in recent memory? Yes, for the most part. While the movie makes for a great time in a crowded theater this Halloween season, I dare you make it through the whole film alone in the dark.
Despite a couple flaws predictable of the found footage genre, "V/H/S" is a fun, frightening, and original horror anthology film that shines above most of its predecessors. After you see it, you will want to show it to someone who hasn't, if only to validate the chaos you just witnessed on screen.
"V/H/S" is currently playing at the Bridge Theatre in San Francisco and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley. Visit the official website for "V/H/S" (a Magnet Release from Magnolia Pictures) for more information on the film.
