V/H/S/Beyond – Review | Shudder (3/5)

V/H/S/ BEYOND on Shudder is the latest installment of the popular Found Footage Anthology. This 2024 addition is a mixed bag with some wonderful surprises. Read our full V/H/S/Beyond movie review here!

V/H/S/ BEYOND is the newest Shudder addition to the Found Footage anthology that began with V/H/S/ in 2012. This time, we’re getting both good and not-so-good, but isn’t that always the case with anthologies?!

Fortunately, this one is mostly good. Of course, that’s a matter of opinion and taste, but I was mostly well-entertained. Like the very first installment, the runtime is right around two hours.

Continue reading our V/H/S/ Beyond movie review below. Find it on Shudder from October 4, 2024.

The short films in V/H/S/Beyond 

Some of the short films in V/H/S/ Beyond are worthy of feature-length versions. Let’s do a quick rundown of the short films in this newest anthology in the Found Footage Franchise.

“The Wrap”, directed by Jay Cheel

This story is the “wrap-around” element that we keep coming back to. It explores some video tapes that supposedly prove alien abduction. Real or not? That’s what we keep coming back to.

Can the two VHS tapes marked “Proof 1” and “Proof 2” prove anything? You be the judge.

“Stork” is directed by Jordan Downey

The first actual short film is Stork which is a fascinating watch. It’s based on art by the artist Oleg Vdovenko, so this is his creation. It feels like we’re in a video game as the Found Footage is recorded from a first-person video game POV.

Set in a grimy flashlight-lit world, you will see fascinating creatures. Not least the title character!

“Dream Girl” is directed by Virat Pal

Not a big fan of this one though it had some good elements. Dream Girl is the second short film, where we follow two Indian paparazzi who need to get shots of the Bollywood superstar Tara in her trailer.

I loved that we got a segment from India (the first in the V/H/S/ franchise), but not that so much time was spent on a song and dance routine. Particularly as the whole “Found footage”-element was non-existent for that sequence.

And then what’s the point of being in a found footage anthology?

“Live and Let Dive” is directed by Justin Martinez

With short film number three, I was very happy. It has everything I want from a POV and found footage short film. Fast-paced with characters you immediately become familiar with and care about.

Just a shame that it’s virtually impossible for any of them to survive. First, they have to make it through a brutal skydiving experience after a UFO hits their airplane. Then the creatures from inside the UFO are after them. It’s wild!

Director Justin Martinez was also part of the original 2012 V/H/S/.

“Fur Babies” co-directed by Christian Long and Justin Long

Oh yeah, now we’re really getting into the good stuff. Justin Long is no stranger to horror, but his brother (and co-director of this short film), Christian Long, had no prior experience in the horror genre.

Well, you wouldn’t know that from watching Fur Babies. While most other short films have an alien story, this one took another route. One that reminded me of Tusk (which Justin Long starred in) and the brilliant Norwegian Good Boy.

It all begins with the cheerful woman, Becky, who runs a doggy daycare. Enjoy this twisted little creature feature horror story in V/H/S/ Beyond!

“Stowaway” directed by Kate Siegel – final short of V/H/S/ Beyond

This final short film of V/H/S/ Beyond is Kate Siegel’s directorial debut. The screenplay comes from her very frequent collaborator (and husband), Mike Flanagan. The two have been working together for years, so it’s only natural.

I loved the first part of Stowaway and only had issues with the very last part because it was difficult to watch. As in visually hard to make out what was happening. It’s very intentional but more than what’s good.

Kate Siegel (co-writer of Hush) is bound to direct more in the future and judging from Stowaway, I’m ready for it. Especially that first part of the short film.

Ultimately, Kate Siegel has commented that this lives as the intersection of Contact and The Fly, which makes perfect sense to me. It also explains why the visuals are distorted towards the end.

I just wish it hadn’t been to such a great extent, because I liked it otherwise.

Watch V/H/S/ Beyond on Shudder!

I do have one issue with this installment of the anthology. The very core found footage element seems to have been forgotten.

At least in some cases. I mean, the “beyond”-element sometimes ends in space. And how does a camera heading away from our planet become “found footage” on Earth? Especially around the same time.

I can live with it because I recognize that using this popular franchise name is a way to get people watching. However, it’s a shame that it isn’t more of a focus.

This is the seventh installment in the V/H/S/ franchise. Maybe Shudder should create a new anthology focusing on short films without “Found Footage” as the common denominator. In turn, V/H/S/ could focus on it again.

V/H/S/Beyond premieres on Shudder on October 4, 2024.