Summary
- V/H/S franchise is ideal for fans seeking unique horror, with standouts like V/H/S 2 and V/H/S/94.
- V/H/S/ Viral, while ambitious, struggles with lighthearted tone, making it the weakest of all V/H/S films.
- V/H/S 99 offers nostalgia for 90s horror, with some great segments but doesn't quite match its predecessors.
With a strong cult following behind them, the V/H/S movies are a must-see for fans of anthology horror, but they're far from perfect. They fill a highly specific subgenre, which isn't for everyone, but is ideal for those seeking something a little different from a standard slasher or haunted house horror film. The Bloody Disgusting-produced V/H/S was released in 2012, alongside a handful of horror anthologies. Since then the V/H/S franchise has gained notoriety with horror fan circles as being a go-to for unforgettable — if at times inconsistent — frights.
Horror anthologies like The ABCs of Death and All Hallow's Eve all came out within a two-to-three-year period of 2012, but the V/H/S movies at their best are arguably a step above in terms of quality. The first two V/H/S sequels from 2013 and 2014 retain the overall structure of the first, while introducing new elements of their own. V/H/S/94 hit Shudder in 2021, with V/H/S 99 arriving one year later. Each of the horror anthology films offers something unique, but there is definitely a best V/H/S movie.
The 35 Best Horror Movies Of The Last Five Years, Ranked
2019-2023 marks a strong time for the horror genre, and the best horror movies of the last five years showcases exactly why.5 V/H/S: Viral (2014)
Segments: Dante The Great, Parallel Monsters, Bonestorm,
V/H/S: Viral
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- Director
- Marcel Sarmiento , Gregg Bishop , Nacho Vigalondo , Justin Benson , Aaron Scott Moorhead , Todd Lincoln
- Release Date
- October 23, 2014
- Cast
- Patrick Lawrie , Emilia Ares , Justin Welborn , Emmy Argo , Gustavo Salmerón , Marian Álvarez , Nick Blanco , Chase Newton
- Runtime
- 81 Minutes
V/H/S: Viral was the third V/H/S/ movie and had its moments but failed to live up to its predecessors. It's certainly ambitious, but it can sometimes seem like it's not part of the horror anthology franchise. The tone is notably more lighthearted throughout, which isn't a boon when the movies are known for the unrelenting dread they inspire. For instance, one of the shorts, Dante the Great, feels like a dark version of Now You See Me. Throw in some people with demonic genitalia and a police chase, and you have V/H/S: Viral in a nutshell.
The standout sequence in V/H/S: Viral is called Bonestorm. The short is headed up by writer/director duo Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead, who are responsible for The Endless, Spring, and Resolution. It featured a Mexican demon-summoning cult and a small squad of skateboarders who have to deal with just that. The entry is a lot of fun, totally ridiculous, creepy as hell, and fits into the V/H/S canon more than any other segment Viral brings to the table. Even still, this is the weakest film of all V/H/S movies.
4 V/H/S/ 99 (2022)
Shredding, Suicide Bid, Ozzy's Dungeon, The Gawkers, To Hell and Back
V/H/S/99
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- Director
- Johannes Roberts , Vanessa Winter , Joseph Winter , Maggie Levin , Tyler MacIntyre , Flying Lotus
- Release Date
- October 20, 2022
- Cast
- Verona Blue , Dashiell Derrickson , Ally Ioannides , Isabelle Hahn , Steven Ogg , Amelia Ann , Luke Mullen , Emily Sweet , Joseph Winter , Archelaus Crisanto
- Runtime
- 109 Minutes
With the success of V/H/S 94, it was time to get the franchise rolling again, and in 2022, V/H/S 99 debuted as a Shudder Original after premiering at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. V/H/S 99 ended up breaking streaming records on Shudder and was the service's most-watched premiere (via Comicbook.com), but the movie itself was a mixed bag.
These segments all call to memory the horror of the 90s, which provides some nostalgic fun that makes up for the weaker aspects.
It was better than V/H/S Viral but wasn't quite up to the levels of the first three movies in the franchise. There are some great segments, and there are some weaker ones, but they all have something worth seeing. There is no framing device in this one, making it stand out, and it looks a lot like viewers are watching an old VHS tape. The best of the segments in V/H/S 99 is Ozzy's Dungeon, directed by Flying Lotus — a segment about a kid's game show.
It does get horrifically disgusting at moments, but when it comes to the best V/H/S movies, this is par for the course, and V/H/S 99 doesn't quite pack the punch of its predecessors (Viral notwithstanding). These segments all call to memory the horror of the 90s, which provides some nostalgic fun that makes up for the weaker aspects.