{Fantastic Fest 2023} V/H/S 85

Over the last few years, it’s been a spooky season tradition to have a new V/H/S film after the franchise had a bit of a lull in the previous decade. V/H/S 94 and V/H/S 99 heralded the franchise’s return. Both are decent entries. Ever since it was announced last year, V/H/S 85 has received a lot of hype, specifically for the directors involved. The latest is one of the strongest in the long-running series. Directors include Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn, 2021), Gigi Saul Guerrero (Bingo Hell, Into the Dark: Culture Shock), Natasha Kermani (Lucky), Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone, Sinister), and David Bruckner (Hellraiser ,2022, The Night House). Yes, indeed these are some of the genre’s contemporary heavy hitters.

As a whole, V/H/S 85 is a grisly and gruesome good time. Like any anthology series, viewers will be drawn to some segments more than others, but as a whole, it’s one of the best in the franchise.

No Wake

Nelson directs the first segment entitled “No Wake.” It begins with a group of 20-somethings on a camping trip. We see them in their RV before they venture towards a lake. They ignore dilapidated wooden signs that likely warned people to stay away from the area, specifically the lake. However, like any group of young people, they ignore the warning signs. Bad idea.

What first feels like a home movie of a group of friends having a good time turns into something quite brutal. When the friends are out on the water, someone shoots at them. You can hear the bullets whiz through the air before hitting flesh. The surviving friends crouch low, hiding in the boat, hoping they’re not shot at again.

This is one grim segment. Nelson kicks it off by showing a bunch of people simply having fun, enjoying a gorgeous day on the water. That’s shattered abruptly. Without spoiling too much, I will state that more happens in this one that connects to other segments. Overall, this is one harrowing entry, especially once the bullets start flying.

God of Death

Guerrero takes the reigns next in one of my favorite segments, “God of Death.” It begins with a news anchor about to go on air. Suddenly, the newsroom shakes. Is it an earthquake or something else? The roof collapses and crushes her. From there, we follow the survivors through narrow tunnels, as they assess the carnage. Ultimately, they encounter an ancient God known as Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec God of death.

This segment is quite the bloody romp, much of it shown through cameraman Luis’ (Ari Gallegos) perspective. It’s nasty and gory, and you can tell that Guerrero likely had a heck of a good time filming this one. She also has a humorous cameo as a reporter who has some knee-slapping lines.

TKNOGD

Next up is Kermani’s segment, “TKNOGD.” This one follows a performance artist who rails against society’s “new god,” meaning technology. Kermani’s execution here is pretty interesting, featuring early VR technology that turns into a hellscape when the performance artist can’t remove the VR helmet and gets more than she bargained for as part of the performance. Considering that we’re now living in the age of AI, this segment touches upon contemporary issues in a way the other segments don’t. It addresses online realms, even early versions of them, and our digital presence.

The way this entry is shot very much feels like you’re sitting in the theater, watching the performance art take place, including its dire conclusion. Considering how much of our lives we now live online, the themes of “TKNOGD” certainly resonate. It’s also neat to see some early and rudimentary VR tech put to use in a creative fashion.

Dreamkill

If I had to guess, I suspect that Derrickson’s segment might get the most buzz once more people see this anthology, and not only because of his strong horror track record. “Dreamkill” is simply a downright chilling concept about tapes sent to a police station that show murders before they actually occur. This segment also loops back to Nelson’s “No Wake” and fills in some of the blanks. As this one plays out, it truly feels like we’re watching snuff films because of the grainy quality and some of the lighting choices.

I suspect viewers will also draw comparisons to Sinister because of the shocking nature of the tapes in both films. However, there’s also a supernatural element here which really unfolds in the last 10 or so minutes, adding a clever and unexpected twist. Overall, this segment is a tough dose to swallow, and yet, it’s hard to look away.

Total Copy

Last but not least, Bruckner’s “Total Copy” rounds out V/H/S 85, and it’s a good follow-up to Derrickson’s heavy “Dreamkill.” This vignette is a more light-hearted creature feature about monsters that can replicate humans. All of this is captured by a documentary crew, and the creatures’ destruction is captured on video. I have to say that the monsters, tentacles and all, look really cool. Kudos to the practical effects team for pulling this off.

Overall, V/H/S 85 continues the franchise’s recent winning streak. I favor this one slightly more than the last two entries as there’s really not a weak segment among the five. This also very much feels like the 1980s, from the clothes to the hair, to the commercials. This anthology is a ghastly autumn treat.

V/H/S 85 premiered at Fantastic Fest and will stream on Shudder beginning October 6.