The latest installment of the VHS Franchise titled V/H/S/BEYOND, took on a fresh approach with a central theme of sci-fi horror within its shorts.
When it was announced a year ago that V/H/S/BEYOND would be science fiction-focused, I was curious since past installments had this theme in at least one short film. Here, it works with a few flaws.
In one of the shorts, a woman sets out to document strange lights above the Mojave Desert and ends up being abducted when she lets her guard down. It’s best to watch it yourself to find out more.
Kate Siegel, known for her roles in WWE’s Oculus, Netflix’s Hush, and The Fall of The House of Usher, made her directorial debut with this short. In my opinion, her directorial style didn’t work well, as it wasn’t immersive or engaging. Additionally, the last 10 minutes of the short were confusing, and I couldn’t make out what was happening until the reveal. I think another director could have made the story flow better. While I understand that Siegel had her own vision for the short, I personally wasn’t a fan.
Beyond that, another short I felt gave me Vietnam War flashbacks to VHS Viral (2014) is the third short that features a group of friends who decide to go skydiving for the first time. However, their adventure takes a terrifying turn when their plane collides with a UFO in mid-air, causing them to plummet to the ground. They eventually land in an orange grove and find themselves in a fight for survival against the aliens who are also present in the area. The intense screaming and loud noises made by the characters made them sound like Gen Z TikTok stars, which was quite irritating. I found myself rooting for the aliens to kill them all.
As a matter of fact, the first, second, and fourth shorts are excellent. The first one features the NYPD rescuing missing babies. In this short, I particularly liked how the body camera was used because it gave me a great perspective on the bloodbath that took place between the police and the brainless humans. This short turns out that an actual stork kidnapped the kids at the end. I find it poetic. I just wish that this one didn’t feature a music score the entire time. This is one of the rare times in the VHS franchise that the subjects survive.
The second shot is a prime example of never fuck around and find out as two paparazzi sneak behind the scenes on the set of a Bollywood movie. The celebrity chasers discover consequences for their so-called “found footage” way worse than trespassing charges when they find superstar Tara waiting in her trailer. What really works here besides the music video, is the use of the lyrics of the song as you will have to pay close attention to what is going to happen by the end of the short. It also puts a spotlight on what high-profile celebrities go through to keep up with their fans and to keep their public persona. Overall, very solid.
The fourth short is my favorite as it is the only one without a sci-fi element as it lines more with the classic VHS shorts. It starts with a YouTube commercial of a dog carer and an animal rights activist group that just happened to watch it. I knew I was a little creeped out once you saw what was on the wall in the ad versus what was not once they arrived. I will not spoil the horror show of this short, but the woman in the commercial is more sinister than what you think and she has an objective with the people who came to her house.
The overarching narrative between the shorts is a documentary-style investigation into the mysteries of a house, with talking heads, including a popular YouTuber, analyzing what’s real and what isn’t. This meta-layer adds an interesting dimension to the film.
While V/H/S/BEYOND has its ups and downs, it successfully keeps the franchise fresh by exploring new territory with its sci-fi theme. It might not hit every mark, but it continues to push boundaries and deliver unique horror experiences, proving there’s still life in the VHS series.
