Did anyone know in 2012 that the horror anthology V/H/S was destined to become a long-running franchise? Certainly, all the pieces were there, along with an easily palatable premise rife for exploration. That first film contained all the trademarks of series potential, including a wraparound segment and many not-so-connected scary stories strung together. The seventh entry again requires no knowledge of previous entries—for the very first time since its inception, V/H/S Beyond focuses on a strictly science-fiction element to each segment. Behind the cameras this time are seven different directors, spread out amongst five stories and one wraparound. A welcome return to form and strong individual direction throughout pushes this V/H/S entry far beyond Area 51.
For the wraparound, a documentary about aliens unfolds, presenting compelling evidence of their existence. Through several interludes, we see interviews, spooky corridors, and finally, the revelation of the alien footage, which the entire film has been teasing. “Abduction/Adduction” has one hell of a killer ending at least that closes out on a very satisfying note. Jay Cheel helms this part of the movie by emulating that classic TV-special docu-style.
The first story right out of the gate is “Stork,” directed by Jordan Downey (low budget disasterpiece Thankskilling). Following the body cam footage of a police force investigating kidnapped infants, my jaw was on the floor throughout almost all of this fast-paced entry. Between the zombie massacre that unfolds the moment the cops cautiously explore an apartment building, and the stork creature that lords over the attic, “Stork” feels more like a video game than a proper horror show. But so what? It is just energetic enough to supercharge us into the next chapter.
“Dream Girl” takes a stranger, more robotic turn into crazy town, by way of Bollywood inspirations. Virat Pal directs, name-dropping Indian celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan to buoy the world of a paparazzi. Two fools stumble onto a film set in an effort to record scandalous footage of a Bollywood superstar to leak to the press. Instead, they discover a chilling revelation about the woman. While the premise is simple, Pal expertly adds an exclamation mark to the revelations. The serious Carrie vibes give the title an energy and—a definite franchise first—an elaborate Bollywood number. “Do you want a selfie?” takes on a whole new meaning.
On the other side of things, the third story, “Live and Let Dive,” envisions a nightmarish sky diving expedition derailed by the arrival of an aggressive UFO. Justin Martinez, co-creator of filmmaking collective Radio Silence, dials up the anxiety of sky diving with a harrowing fight for survival. The monsters are quite striking once we finally see them, and feel every bit as dangerous as a Xenomorph. Interestingly enough, Martinez does opt to go with a traditional design for at least part of the aliens, yet their bodies and the way they move are unique enough to impress.
My personal favorite is our next tale, “Fur Babies,” written and directed by brotherly duo Christian Long and Justin Long. The Long brothers also previously co-directed 2021’s underrated and absolutely hilarious ghost-comedy Lady of the Manor, so what they showcase here is a particularly grotesque surprise. This satirical take on the strangeness of pet grooming ups the ante in its focus on a deranged groomer. Doggie Dream House promises to be “the happiest place in all of the land,” but a group of people convinced there is something slightly off about the woman’s television advertisement think differently. They use a cute fake couple and a hidden camera to infiltrate her operation, but they could never have forseen what happens next. “Fur Babies” has some body horror, hilariously bizarre humor, and a riveting performance from its lead.
The final tale, “Stowaway,” presents a strong directorial debut from actress Kate Siegel, with a script penned by her multi-talented husband, Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Midnight Mass). A girl attempting to film a documentary in the Mojave National Desert comes across more than she bargained for in the form of a large, mysterious object out in the sand. “Stowaway” offers creepy, found-footage tension reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project. As the longest in length, it also leaves the biggest mark on the movie at large, managing to tie together its themes seamlessly.
Thankfully much better than previous installment V/H/S 85, Beyond has not a single subpar segment among the bunch. This marks one of the only times in the series where every entry has been worthwhile, peppered with wonderfully fun practical effects. As with most anthologies, usually they vary in quality, and few are ever consistent all the way through. Thankfully, Beyond nicely bucks this trend. The wraparound story provides a decent framing device, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the collection. V/H/S Beyond uses a creative variety of scares and a high-energy approach in mixing extraterrestrial sci-fi with biting paranormal horror.
V/H/S Beyond screened at 2024’s Fantastic Fest, and unleashes its conspiracy theories for Shudder audiences on Friday, October 4th.
