When V/H/S/2 hit screens in 2013, it emerged as a daring sequel to the unique V/H/S, providing one other dose of found-footage horror anthology goodness. Like its predecessor, V/H/S/2 thrives on its distinctive construction: a set of shorts tied collectively by an overarching narrative, every directed by a number of the most creative voices in trendy horror. With its mixture of supernatural scares, visceral gore, and relentless rigidity, the movie aimed to up the ante from the primary installment. However does each section ship? Let’s revisit V/H/S/2, dissect its tales, and decide which segments actually shine and which fall brief.
Earlier than we dive into the segments, let’s focus on somewhat backstory. The primary movie achieved success each critically and financially. So naturally there was demand for a sequel. Just like it’s predecessor, V/H/S/2 is an anthology movie. A number of administrators had been introduced on board to create standalone brief movies. The shorts had been related by a wraparound story (“Tape 49”), directed by Simon Barrett. Notably the Director Lineup for this movie is fairly stacked. It contains Gareth Evans, Jason Eisener, Eduardo Sánchez, Gregg Hale and Adam Wingard.
Every section was designed within the found-footage format, which required meticulous planning to keep up the phantasm of “real” footage. This included artistic use of in-camera results, low-budget sensible results, and intelligent enhancing. Many segments had been shot rapidly as a result of funds constraints. Every director pushed the boundaries of the found-footage format with distinctive concepts. “Phase I Clinical Trials” used POV footage from a cybernetic eye implant. “A Ride in the Park” uniquely included a zombie outbreak by a GoPro digital camera worn by a biker. “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” delivered its chaos by the angle of a dog-mounted digital camera.
Let’s discover the completely different segments. Directed by Simon Barrett, “Tape 49” serves because the wraparound story to the movie. In it we comply with two non-public investigators employed to find a lacking faculty pupil. Their search leads them to a home affected by televisions and VHS tapes, setting the stage for the segments that comply with. Whereas “Tape 49” units up a creepy ambiance, it in the end feels underdeveloped in comparison with the standalone shorts. The investigators’ storyline lacks depth, and their motivations appear secondary to the premise of showcasing the tapes. Nevertheless, it does present some successfully eerie moments, significantly because the investigators watch the more and more disturbing footage.It really works however might be the least memorable. Enjoyable reality, the lead position was provided to James Rolfe aka the Indignant Video Nerd. He declined as a result of it might have coincided along with his personal movie The Indignant Video Recreation Nerd Film.
First up is “Phase 1 Clinical Trials” It’s directed by Adam Wingard, and on this section it explores the story of a person who receives a cybernetic eye implant after an accident. The implant permits him to see supernatural entities, plunging him right into a nightmarish descent as he realizes these spirits are dangerously conscious of his presence. “Phase I Clinical Trials” stands out for its robust premise and intelligent use of first-person perspective. Adam Winguard himself even stars within the movie! The cybernetic eye serves as a pure justification for the found-footage aesthetic, and the section successfully builds rigidity by its unsettling visuals. Nevertheless, the story often depends on clichés—the “haunted implant” trope looks like one thing we’ve seen earlier than, albeit with a technological twist. Ultimately, it comes up barely in need of being a promising brief movie. Nonetheless, Wingard’s route retains the scares partaking, and the brief’s brisk pacing works in its favor.
Subsequent up is “A Ride in the Park” Directed by Eduardo Sánchez, the director of The Blair Witch Challenge, and Gregg Hale, this section takes a novel method to the zombie style, putting the viewers within the perspective of a bike owner who turns into contaminated throughout an off-the-cuff experience within the woods. As he succumbs to the virus, the digital camera captures his transformation and the chaos that ensues. One among its most compelling points is using a GoPro digital camera mounted on the protagonist’s helmet. This primary-person viewpoint immerses viewers in a visceral, unrelenting expertise, capturing the chaos and brutality of a zombie outbreak from a perspective hardly ever explored in cinema. One other standout function is the emotional complexity embedded within the carnage. Amidst the gore, there’s a second of tragic introspection when Mike, now absolutely zombified, hears a voicemail from his fiancée expressing love and concern. This flicker of humanity contrasts starkly with the senseless violence he’s been finishing up, including a layer of melancholy to the story. It humanizes the character even in his undead state, making his eventual suicide really feel like a second of redemption—a uncommon emotional beat in a style typically dominated by nihilism. Moreover, the section’s pacing and tonal shifts make it memorable. It begins as a serene, virtually idyllic day within the woods, lulling the viewers right into a false sense of safety earlier than plunging them into horror. The chaos of the zombie assault is laced with darkish humor, particularly when the digital camera captures absurdly grotesque moments, like a zombie clumsily stumbling with the GoPro or the irony of an idyllic picnic turning right into a bloodbath. This stability of horror and humor retains the section dynamic and interesting.
“A Ride in the Park” is without doubt one of the most creative entries within the anthology. By presenting the story by the eyes of the zombie, it supplies a recent perspective on a well-worn style. The section strikes a stability between darkish humor and grisly horror, delivering some memorably grotesque moments (the zombie picnic is a standout). Nevertheless, it leaves little room for deeper exploration, making it really feel extra like a intelligent idea than the nextgreat zombie apocalypse movie it needs to be.
Directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans, “Safe Haven” follows a documentary crew investigating a mysterious Indonesian cult. What begins as a gradual burn rapidly escalates right into a relentless barrage of terror because the crew uncovers the horrifying reality concerning the cult’s rituals. “Safe Haven” is usually hailed because the crown jewel of V/H/S/2, and it’s straightforward to see why. It masterfully combines cult horror, supernatural chaos, and visceral gore into an intense and unforgettable expertise. The story follows a documentary crew infiltrating a secluded Indonesian cult compound to interview its charismatic chief, known as “Father.” The narrative builds rigidity expertly, lulling viewers into unease with the creepy serenity of the compound and the devotion of its followers. As soon as the reality concerning the cult’s apocalyptic agenda is revealed, the story explodes into chaos, unleashing a relentless onslaught of blood, violence, and nightmarish imagery. The camerawork is frantic but managed, capturing the horrifying occasions in a manner that feels immersive with out changing into disorienting. The section’s pacing is certainly one of its best strengths, steadily ramping up dread earlier than plunging headfirst into full-throttle terror. The tonal shift—from eerie investigative journalism to a hellish descent into otherworldly horror—is seamless and efficient. The grotesque sensible results and unflinching gore amplify the horror, however the section’s true energy lies in its potential to evoke existential dread. The cult’s fanatical devotion and the apocalyptic demon-birth climax are horrifying not only for their bodily brutality however for the sense of inescapable doom they convey. Evans and Tjahjanto additionally handle to inject transient moments of darkish humor and absurdity—such because the unsettlingly cheery “Father” unleashing destruction—that give the chaos an unsettling edge. If there’s a critique, it’s that the sheer tempo and depth of the ultimate act may really feel overwhelming or extreme for some viewers. Nevertheless, for followers of daring, high-octane horror, “Safe Haven” is a masterpiece of the style, combining visceral thrills with a disturbing exploration of religion, fanaticism, and the macabre. It’s a tour de power that leaves an indelible mark. What else would you anticipate from Gareth Evans?
The ultimate section within the movie is entitled “Slumber Party Alien Abduction”. Directed by Jason Eisener, this section facilities on a bunch of children whose rowdy sleepover is interrupted by an alien invasion. Filmed primarily by a GoPro hooked up to a canine, the section captures the chaotic terror of the youngsters as they’re hunted by aliens. “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” is divisive amongst viewers, and for good purpose. Whereas it’s undeniably artistic in its use of the GoPro and gives some genuinely scary moments (the alien designs are successfully creepy), the section’s frenetic tempo and lack of character growth make it tough to totally put money into the story. The chaotic enhancing mirrors the disorienting expertise of the characters, but it surely additionally detracts from the influence of the scares. Regardless of these shortcomings, the emotional intestine punch on the finish, we gained’t spoil it for you, provides a layer we didn’t see coming that elevates the section. One attention-grabbing reality about that is Jason Eisener would later develop the alien invasion idea right into a feature-length movie. In 2022, Eisener launched Youngsters vs. Aliens, a film that shares thematic and stylistic DNA along with his V/H/S/2 brief. Very similar to the section, the movie focuses on a bunch of children heading off an extraterrestrial assault, but it surely dives deeper into the characters and narrative, mixing coming-of-age parts with over-the-top sci-fi horror. The feature-length model allowed Eisener to discover the story’s potential extra absolutely, significantly in its nostalgic nod to Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties style movies. This evolution from a brief in an anthology to a standalone function highlights how V/H/S/2 served as a artistic launchpad for its administrators to develop on their concepts in daring new methods.
V/H/S/2 was higher acquired than its predecessor, with critics praising its improved manufacturing high quality, revolutionary storytelling, and standout segments like “Safe Haven.” The movie presently holds a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 70%, reflecting its optimistic reception. Premiering on the Sundance Movie Competition, it gained vital buzz, with festivals serving to to showcase the movie to each horror fanatics and critics, additional solidifying its repute as a must-watch anthology. Throughout the horror neighborhood, it rapidly turned a cult hit, appreciated for its daring approaches to the found-footage style and its number of scares. “Safe Haven,” particularly, is usually cited as the most effective anthology shorts ever made. Many of the movie’s success got here by digital and residential video platforms, the place its anthology format and found-footage model made it accessible and binge-worthy for followers of revolutionary horror. Moreover, the inclusion of administrators like Gareth Evans and the worldwide settings of sure segments, like “Safe Haven,” gave the movie broader worldwide attraction, with horror followers worldwide praising its formidable concepts and execution.
V/H/S/2 excels in its willingness to experiment with the found-footage format. Every section takes a novel method, guaranteeing a way of selection and unpredictability. The anthology’s standout, “Safe Haven,” is a testomony to the ability of mixing robust storytelling with unrelenting horror, whereas segments like “A Ride in the Park” and “Phase I Clinical Trials” showcase revolutionary makes use of of the found-footage aesthetic. The movie additionally advantages from its high-energy pacing. In contrast to the primary V/H/S, which often dragged, the sequel retains the momentum going, making it a extra persistently partaking expertise and shorter run time.
Whereas the anthology format permits for artistic freedom, it additionally ends in an uneven viewing expertise. Segments like “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” and the body narrative, “Tape 49,” really feel undercooked in comparison with the stronger entries. Moreover, the reliance on gore and shock worth can generally overshadow deeper thematic exploration, leaving sure segments feeling hole.
V/H/S/2 is a rollercoaster of a horror anthology, providing each exhilarating highs and occasional lows. Its finest segments—significantly “Safe Haven”—stand as a number of the best makes use of of the found-footage format in trendy horror, mixing creativity, rigidity, and visceral scares. Whereas not each entry hits the mark, the movie’s ambition and willingness to push boundaries make it a worthy successor to the unique V/H/S. For followers of the style, V/H/S/2 is a must-watch, a chilling reminder of the potential of horror anthologies to shock and terrify in equal measure.
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