HORROR anthology films have been around for decades but now they have a regular franchise.
V/H/S/ Beyond is the seventh instalment (if you exclude two spin-off films). While it continues with the found-footage approach, it leans more heavily into science-fiction than its predecessors.
The format still comprises a series of segments built around a frame narrative, but in this case the interstitial material is in the form of a documentary examining claims of unexplained, potentially extraterrestrial, activities.
In fact, the framing material, written and directed by documentarian and horror fan Jay Cheel, is so good you wish it wasn’t broken up by each of the segments.
As usual the segments themselves vary in interest, but the film-making quality is certainly getting better overall.
For the framing narrative, achieves the desired result of to direct and the result is very interesting.
In ‘Stork’ directed by Jordan Downey, a special police unit enters a ramshackle house in search of missing infants and come under attack from zombies. It’s one of the more frightening stories, fast-paced and atmospheric.
‘Dream Girl’, directed by Virat Pal, is less successful and features a female Bollywood star who turns out to be something completely different with resulting mayhem.
Justin Martinez’s ‘Live and Let Dive’ segment is a highlight, very skilfully following a group of skydivers under attack from what appear to be aliens from within the plane, through the air and onto the ground.
‘Fur Babies’, by Christian and Justin Long, is the most humorous of the segments, thanks mainly to an entertaining performance from Libby Letlow as an eccentric dog kennel owner who comes under fire from animal activists.
Even though it’s written by Mike Flanagan, the final segment, ‘Stowaway’ directed by Kate Siegel, is probably the least effective.
But, overall, this is a pretty solid effort that should ensure another instalment in the franchise.
Watched on Shudder.