The latest instalment in the long-running V/H/S horror anthology series has arrived, bringing a Halloween-themed collection of short films that aim to chill and thrill. V/H/S/Halloween represents the eighth entry in this portmanteau franchise, and it presents a decidedly mixed bag of cinematic treats and tricks. While the series continues to bill its content as "found footage," adhering to the original conceit, this element has arguably worn thin over time, with the format feeling more like a vestigial constraint than an effective narrative device.
A Series of Unsettling Shorts with Variable Impact
This horror bonanza assembles a series of Halloween-themed shorts, each with its own distinct flavour and level of effectiveness. The overarching premise of watching discovered, raw footage has become somewhat diluted through repetition, leading to a sense that the franchise might benefit from abandoning this specific gimmick. Instead, it could lean more fully into the broader, and perhaps more compelling, idea of a regular horror anthology dedicated to producing unsettling short films without the found-footage baggage.
Highlights and Lowlights in the Grim Collection
Among the standout segments is a chapter titled Fun Size, directed by Casper Kelly. This piece is riotous, disgusting, and executed with a particular grisly flair. Kelly, known for the viral internet sensation Too Many Cooks in 2014 and whose feature film Buddy recently premiered at Sundance, crafts a tale where a group of young adults inadvertently enters a bizarre "wrongness zone." Here, they confront a villain who channels the menacing energy of a vicious, diminutive sibling to the Ghostbusters' iconic Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, resulting in a memorably grotesque confrontation.
In contrast, Alex Ross Perry's contribution, Kidprint, opts for a less silly and more genuinely shocking approach. It presents an everyday villain who operates in plain sight, standing at the polar opposite of flamboyant, supernatural child-killers like Pennywise or Freddy Krueger. This segment taps into a more insidious, realistic fear, proving effective through its unsettling simplicity.
It is fair to note that even the less successful chapters within V/H/S/Halloween possess some redeeming qualities or interesting ideas. However, with the total run time stretching to nearly two hours, the experience might have benefited from more judicious editing. A tighter cut could have maintained momentum and heightened impact without sacrificing the anthology's diverse content.
The Wrap-Around Segment: Diet Phantasma
Following franchise tradition, the film features a wrap-around segment titled Diet Phantasma, conceived by director Bryan M Ferguson. This recurring thread, which bookends the other shorts and provides a narrative through-line, is arguably the funniest material in the entire collection. It plays out with a tone reminiscent of The Fast Show meeting Re-Animator, following a group of amoral scientists as they obsessively attempt to perfect the recipe for a haunted soda. The premise is utterly absurd, yet delivered with a charm that makes it a highlight amidst the grislier fare.
V/H/S/Halloween is available on digital platforms from 9 February, offering horror enthusiasts a new, if uneven, helping of anthology chills just in time for late-wimmer viewing.
