Written by: Josh "The Merc" Raynor
The latest entry in the highly popular V/H/S franchise, V/H/S/Halloween, is finally here and it doesn’t disappoint. From the opening scene of this installment’s framing story, we see how the filmmakers have made it a point to lean into the grainy realness of old school VHS tapes, which is one of the things I love most about these films. The other thing this installment does is ramp up the disturbing imagery, taking us on a ride of gore and violence not quite done to this level in the previous films.
Every single one of these segments finds a new way to be grotesque, separating themselves from one another, whether they lean into the terrifying or the absurd. And all but one of them seem to focus on the classic trope of “f*** around and find out” as the characters make some bad choices, which lead to some even worse consequences.
Starting off with the aforementioned framing story, titled “Diet Phantasma,” this one has the best VHS look to it of all the stories. It starts things off with a bang, setting the tone for what’s to come. Its frenetic, almost satirical tone really helps to break up the intensity of the other stories in a great way, while taking the time to comment on consumerism and corporate greed and negligence in a fun, yet wild way.
The first full segment we get is “Coochie Coochie Coo,” a creepy and unsettling tale that is, at times, hard to watch. While the framing story at the beginning sets up a rather typical, albeit gory horror vibe, this one cranks up the insanity to create the most disturbing entry of the entire film. Leaning into body horror for this one, director Anna Zlokovic manages to create something that will linger in your brain for a while.
Next up is “Ut Supra Sic Infra.” At its heart, the story is genuinely intriguing, and its wild, unexpected ending almost redeems the pacing issues that slow the segment down. Unfortunately, it ends up being the weakest of the anthology, struggling to build the tension it clearly aims for. Notably, this is the only foreign-language segment, which might have been a fresh change of pace, though the segment’s shortcomings stem from its narrative execution rather than the language itself.
“Fun Size” goes a similar route to “Diet Phantasma” by taking a more comedic tone. However, that doesn’t stop it from being a gory, grotesque tale of what happens when you don’t follow the rules. Director Casper Kelly takes us on a wild, almost psychedelic trip through the most terrifying version of a candy factory. This segment has some amazing visual effects, and we even get a cool-looking character that I’m hoping to see people cosplay as in the near future. My biggest issue with this one was that it had some of the worst characters throughout the entire film. Of the four main characters, there was only one that I was actively rooting for to survive.
The next segment is my favorite of them all and is titled “Kidprint.” It’s probably the darkest story of them all, and disturbing, not just in the grotesque way, but in a way that will hit home for many, especially parents. Director Alex Ross Perry manages to create something unsettling and emotionally charged, all while grounding the story in the real world and not using any supernatural elements whatsoever. It’s the one segment of the bunch I would love to see made into a feature length film.
The final segment, “Home Haunt,” is a fascinating story that takes an unexpected turn, building something really interesting. Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman do a fantastic job of creating an eerie, yet entertaining atmosphere, perfectly balancing humor and horror, while also delivering some incredible practical effects.
Overall, V/H/S/Halloween is a top-tier installment of this franchise, and has become my second favorite, right behind its predecessor, V/H/S/Beyond. If they can continue to keep the quality level up like they have over these last two films, I’ll definitely keep being excited to check them out.
The Merc’s Score: 8/10
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