Magnet
By SlashFilm StaffOct. 4, 2024 10:30 am EST
Any horror franchise that sticks around for more than a handful of entries becomes an institution by default. And few long-running horror franchises have provided genre fans with such a rollercoaster as “V/H/S,” perhaps because each movie in the series feels like an unpredictable theme park ride in its own sick, twisted, ambitious way.
The first “V/H/S” film, released in 2012, laid out the endlessly adaptable format: a horror anthology consisting of “found footage” shorts, each of them directed by a different filmmaker, with only a thin (if that) thread connecting them all. Really, each “V/H/S” segment is an excuse for a director to cut loose, to run wild, and to tell a brisk, violent, sometimes funny and sometimes disturbing tale of terror. The only real rule is that it has to be found footage, but even that is malleable. Stories in the series are told from camcorders, GoPros, security cameras, smartphones, and so much more. The lack of rules, and the length of leash given to the filmmakers, means that each movie (even the weaker ones) have absurd highs are that worth experiencing.
With the series currently numbering seven entries (the sci-fi horror-themed entry “V/H/S/Beyond” is now streaming on Shudder), the /Film team put their heads together to rank this sometimes inconsistent but always entertaining film series from worst to best. And that was a tough thing to figure out, because yes, even the worst “V/H/S” movie has at least one killer segment that makes you wonder “Wait, should this one be one spot higher on the list?”
You can listen to the creation of this list on this episode of the /Film Daily podcast:
7. V/H/S: Viral (2014)
Magnet Releasing
There isn’t a clear or easy answer as to the “worst” or “best” film in the “V/H/S” franchise, given their anthology nature. Each installment has its ups and downs, with some segments being letdowns while existing next to some all-time stellar examples of short-form horror cinema. That said, there is such a thing as an aggregate consensus, with some installments containing more misses than hits.
That appears to be the case for 2014’s “V/H/S: Viral,” as it’s generally regarded by most fans of the series to be the weakest overall installment. To be fair, this is partially due to a few factors facing the film’s production as well as the franchise as a whole. For one, it’s awkwardly the shortest “V/H/S” film due to an entire segment (Todd Lincoln’s non-found footage “Gorgeous Vortex”) being cut at the last minute — the segment was restored to the movie on its physical media releases, but only after the completion of the end credits. For another, the wraparound segment, Marcel Sarmiento’s “Vicious Circles,” has the unenviable task of trying to pay off the admittedly wonky mythology begun by the first two “V/H/S” films while justifying this movie’s 21st-century title, and trying to square the circle of a movie about creepy found footage on VHS tapes going viral online isn’t too easy. In both of these instances, “Viral” is a victim of the series being ambitious but not quite yet solidifying its identity as an ongoing franchise.
All that aside, “Viral” still manages to contain two of the series’ highlights: Nacho Vigalondo’s brainy and erotic “Parallel Monsters,” and Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead’s kinetic and creepy “Bonestorm.” Just goes to show you: when it comes to the “V/H/S” franchise, there’s no installment worth completely skipping! (Bill Bria)
6. V/H/S/85 (2023)
Shudder
The franchise’s sixth installment, “V/H/S/85,” gets a bad rap. David Bruckner, Scott Derrickson, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Natasha Kermani, and Mike P. Nelson are on the roster for the slaughter this time around, with all of them taking some big creative swings that they might not otherwise ever get the chance to pursue in the feature landscape, all the while still leaning into the sensibilities that make each filmmaker’s voice so unique.
Most notably, Gigi Saul Guerrero’s “God of Death” depicts a more horrific look at the actual 1985 Mexico City Earthquake, which feels right at home with her consistent style of bringing Mexican horror stories to global audiences. Elsewhere, Natasha Kermani’s “TKNOGD” is a nightmare of cosmic horror (not unlike her criminally underrated feature debut, “Imitation Girl”), while Mike P. Nelson’s “No Wake” and “Ambrosia” are fascinating in that both segments are in conversation with one another. And yes, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill’s “Dreamkill” has often been criticized for feeling more suited for a feature film … but hot damn, does this short make me crave the possibility of it one day getting the feature treatment in their “The Black Phone” universe. FInally, David Bruckner’s wraparound segment is also one of my favorites so haters be damned, “V/H/S/85” is a hell of a fun ride. (BJ Colangelo)
5. V/H/S/99 (2022)
Shudder
When talking about a franchise that has seven installments that span more than a decade, not everything can be the best. Sometimes okay will have to do. Such was the case with 2022’s “V/H/S/99.” Then again, there’s nothing wrong with a three-star motion picture. Or, in this case, a varied collection of horror shorts that, when strung together, averages out to three stars. In any event, the end result is satisfying enough but, after the high that was “V/H/S/94,” which brought the film series back from the dead following a seven-year absence, “99” did feel like a step down.
The tricky thing with “99” is that it features what many would probably consider one of the greatest segments in “V/H/S” history in the form of “To Hell and Back.” The segment in question was directed by Joseph and Vanessa Winter, who would go on to make the found footage delight that is “Deadstream.” This segment alone brings this movie’s value up at least a full star rating. Were it not for this New Year’s Eve encounter with a coven of witches, we might be looking at an entry that vied for the bottom spot.
That’s not to say there aren’t other things to enjoy here, as “Suicide Bid” certainly has its fans. But none of the other segments come close to the level of what the Winters accomplished. The other middling entries in the “V/H/S” series present more of a well-balanced mixed bag, if that makes any sense. Here, the scales are so dramatically tipped in one direction that everything else suffers under the weight of the film’s best segment. Still, one could do much worse in the realm of horror anthologies than this. That’s why “V/H/S” has staying power. (Ryan Scott)
4. V/H/S (2012)
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There’s a reason why most first installments of franchises act as the best examples of their series: they literally kick the whole party off, with each subsequent installment seeking to top or live up to the one that started it all. While the first “V/H/S” doesn’t contain the series’ highest points in terms of individual segments, nor does it demonstrate the wild ambition that would increase with each new entry in the series, it nonetheless provides a wholly consistent verisimilitude to both itself and the franchise concept. In other words, watching the movie feels the most akin to finding and viewing a random VHS tape full of creepy, unsettling material, which is essentially the vibe that every “V/H/S” movie aspires to.
The film also feels like a Who’s Who of horror, not only then but especially now, as just about every segment director has gone on to huge acclaim and success. The lineup of Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, and Radio Silence sounds like a producer’s dream wishlist of directing talent, and they all demonstrate their chops in abundance with their segments here. Sure, the wraparound story unfortunately begins a pattern of the franchise not knowing what the heck to do with its “lore.” And yes, there wasn’t as much conversation between the filmmakers for this first go-round, leading to a lot of similar elements in each segment that results in either bad coincidence or too much cohesion (depending on who you ask). Yet, “V/H/S” has such a scrappy, “let’s try it” ebullience, combined with some still-shocking transgressive moments. It’s safe to say that found footage and horror cinema in general was never the same after this. (Bill Bria)
3. V/H/S/Beyond (2024)
Shudder
When a franchise gets to its seventh entry, it can often feel like we’re firmly in “spinning the wheels” territory. Massive success stories like “Furious 7” are more the exception rather than the rule. More often than not, we end up with “Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood” or “Hellraiser: Deader.” Not with this franchise though; with the latest installment “V/H/S/Beyond,” we not only wind up with one of the absolute best overall movies in this series to date, but one that paves the way for a bright future for the inevitable eighth entry and beyond.
I’ll be the first to admit there might be some recency bias at play here as “Beyond” will have just hit Shudder by the time this list goes live. I was fortunate enough to see the film at Fantastic Fest and, as a longtime fan of this franchise, I was simply blown away. With time to consider my feelings, the conclusion is clear: this is the most consistent entry in the series to date. “Beyond” does not have a single bad segment, with something for everyone here. From a wild home raid sequence that will make “Resident Evil” fans squeal with glee to some insanely weird, darkly comedic body horror cut from the same cloth as Kevin Smith’s “Tusk,” there is much to love here.
Giving the franchise a sci-fi bend does wonders for the property here. From start to finish, it’s a thrilling ride, with even the wraparound segment that provides connective tissue adding a lot to the proceedings. There’s a reason why I gave “V/H/S/Beyond” a near-perfect review. This is maybe the best-looking film in the series to date. The production value is incredible. It feels like a minor miracle. Who knows? Maybe with some time, this one could move even higher up the list. For now, right out of the gate, it’s an instant example of how good these movies can be when they’re firing on all cylinders. (Ryan Scott)
2. V/H/S/94 (2021)
Shudder
“V/H/S/94” is one of the most purely pleasurable horror anthologies ever made, and one that achieves the ultimate compliment in genre filmmaking: it is not, even for a single moment, boring in the slightest. It helps that each segment differs wildly from the others, zigging and zagging hard enough to cause whiplash, delivering outrageous creatures and dark humor in one moment before going hard into pure psychological terror in another. And that’s before the ambitious, action-packed body horror cyborg bit! Directors Chloe Okuno, Jennifer Reeder, Simon Barrett, Timo Tjahjanto, and Ryan Prows seem to be in a direct, friendly competition: who can deliver the most goods — the most violence, the most scares, the most anything — per second?
And of course, before we forget… Hail Raatma.
After the critical failure of the third film in the series, and a seven-year break, the “V/H/S” franchise needed to come back swinging … or it needed to die. And “V/H/S/94” proved that the series wasn’t just alive, but that it was also in a position to thrive. Slicker, funnier, and more consistent than its predecessors, it set the template for the series’ resurgence and truly introduced the modern modus operandi that makes each film, even the weaker ones, worth seeking out for dedicated horror buffs. You truly never know what you’re going to get, and you’re in for something complete different, and generally totally twisted, every 15-20 minutes. (Jacob Hall)
1. V/H/S/2 (2013)
Magnet Releasing
There’s an innate charm to “V/H/S,” an anthology film that is dripping with “DIY or die” sensibilities and a scrappy approach to a group of aspiring voices in horror getting together and making something special. “V/H/S/2,” however, is where the franchise figured out how to perfect the formula. Jason Eisener, Gareth Huw Evans, Timo Tjahjanto, Eduardo Sánchez, and Gregg Hale enter the series for the first time, while franchise returnees Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard carry over from the first film. There’s not a weak installment in the bunch (although I’d argue there’s never actually been a “bad” segment across the franchise, merely ones that aren’t as knock-out great as some of the others) but what makes “V/H/S/2” so special is the inclusion of Tjahjanto and Evans’ “Safe Haven,” which is for my money, the greatest horror short film in existence.
“V/H/S/2” is the perfect example of what makes a horror anthology special. The voices are all so distinct to each filmmaker’s style, yet they still feels like a cohesive project. If you’re a horror fan, you recognize the name of everyone involved because everyone has continued to create killer projects since, including Eisner turning his segment into the feature film “Kids vs. Aliens.” Some segments are silly fun and some are downright terrifying, but overall “V/H/S/2” is the perfect encapsulation of the bloody beautiful possibilities the genre has to offer. (BJ Colangelo)