[Film Review] V/H/S/85 (2023)

When V/H/S first hit our screens in 2012, nobody could have foreseen that 11 years later we’d be on our sixth instalment (excluding the two spinoffs) of the series. Each film features a selection of short horror stories by different directors connected or at least bookended by a wrap-around tale to make the whole thing seem a little more cohesive.

The latest entry in the series is V/H/S/85 (2023), which gives us five short stories and a wraparound story all set in the 1980s. This feels like the perfect time period to set a V/H/S-themed horror movie due to the growing popularity of home video cameras in the ‘80s, explaining why so many people would be filming themselves as their lives take a turn for the worst.

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This time we’re not shown anyone viewing the tapes or given any explanation as to how we’re seeing these stories, apart from Total Copy, the fake documentary story which runs throughout the whole movie. Directed by David Bruckner of The Ritual (2017) and The Night House (2020) fame, Total Copy sees us dipping in and out of the story of a group of research scientists as they study a shapeshifting creature they have named Rory. 

As the story progresses, we find out more about the relationship between the research team and Rory and can see very quickly where things will go wrong. However, the final segment, after all that build-up, is a little ridiculous. And considering this is the last shot of the entire film (before a techno-rock song that plays over the credits and recaps the whole film), it’s quite a parting gift.

Two of the best sections are No Wake and Ambrosia, which are both directed by Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn, 2021). The use of the found footage aspect perhaps feels the most natural in these two segments, and you’re never really left wondering why people are still filming or holding onto the camera as these horrors unfold around them.

The two segments that didn’t work as well for me were God of Death (directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero) and TKNOGD (directed by Natasha Kermani). God of Death felt quite similar in content to Safe Haven from V/H/S/2 (2013) but wasn’t executed quite as well. However, it is interesting to note that this segment was set during the real-life 1985 Mexico City earthquake, adding an extra layer of horror.

TKNOGD feels like a strange segment as it tries to emulate the underdeveloped technology of the ‘80s with a 2023 mindset. It felt like the monster was never going to manage to be scary because of this, even if the final shot was mesmerising.

With that in mind, one thing that has to be said for the film as a whole is that the level of gore and effects work is outstanding. No Wake, TKNOGD, Ambrosia, and Dreamkill (particularly its Un Chien Andalou (1929) hommage) all feature impressively disgusting moments.

The reason that the V/H/S series has managed to be so popular and keep going for so long is that each movie is its own standalone entry. So even if you didn’t like one film in the series, the next one could end up being amazing. It all depends on the short stories and the directors who take charge of each piece. 

This definitely wasn’t my favourite V/H/S movie, but it’s not going to put me off checking out any future entries. Horror anthologies in general are a wonderful way to experience different worlds and varying storytelling techniques in one place, and the V/H/S series has done a lot to make sure anthologies are still going strong.

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