[Film Review] V/H/S 94 (2021)

Just shy of 10 years after the original was released, Bloody Disgusting are back again with another instalment of the V/H/S anthology series. Shot in secret during the pandemic, fans seemed to be thrilled at the idea of the franchises return – especially after a stellar first two films that were then let down by a much less memorable third. 

This time around, the framing narrative from newcomer Jennifer Reeder focuses on a somewhat unprofessional SWAT team as they raid an old warehouse they believe is being used as a drug lab. What they discover though, as they work their way through the building that seems more and more like a haunted house attraction with every turn, is that some cult-like behaviour has taken place, all involving some mysterious VHS tapes. Cue some of the most whacky, over the top, freaky and downright-joyful found footage shorts of the whole franchise. 

Another Directorial newcomer to the franchise Chloe Okuno provides us with ‘Storm Drain’ - a news segment investigating the sightings of a strange creature. There are some impressive jump scares, and some even more impressive practical effects in this one, that will have you both creeped out and grinning from ear to ear.

Returning Director and You’re Next writer Simon Barrett gives a much less aggressive story with his segment ‘Empty Wake’ which takes place in a single location – a funeral home. Here, its newest employee must face a slew of typical haunted-house tropes – a dark and stormy night, a power outage, peculiar noises and a mysterious stranger. Familiar, yes. Predictable? Hell no. 

Ryan Prow’s ‘Terror’ is perhaps the segment that seems most likely to be just-discovered footage from the 90s. We’re introduced to a group of white men with questionable haircuts touting guns and spouting nonsense about mass-cleansing America with a weapon sent from ‘almighty Christ’. It’s amusing in a these-guys-are-fucking-idiots kinda way, which only makes it all the more entertaining as the plot plays out.

However, unsurprising to... well... everyone who has seen V/H/S 2, the star of the show is yet again Timo Tjahjanto who manages to provide the most unique, violent, well thought-out, batshit-crazy segment of all. Merging from a dystopian terror into a Resident-Evil style first-person shooter game ‘The Subject’ is an absolute triumph. Never has a 30-minute sequence had me root so hard for a character’s survival. It’s deranged, it’s disturbing, it’s heart-breaking. 

Where other films have failed to truly capture the grunge and retro-colour of the 90s, V/H/S 94 succeeds. Maybe it’s down to the mostly practical effects, or the fact that the filmmakers reportedly used of-the-era video equipment, or maybe it’s the brief interlude that plays out like a cheesy infomercial, but nothing here is done to a point of over-exaggeration. There is still the familiar static glitch between stories to flit between the tapes and the narrative story, but it’s not over-used and doesn’t take you out of the moment.

Perhaps the only real disappointment of V/H/S 94, is that despite it being the first in the franchise to include two female directors, it still feels like somewhat of a boy's club. Two of the segments are led by women, and yet neither feel like their stories. It certainly would have been nice to see a woman playing the villain (and not just because she is scorned, secretly gay and having an affair, or because she is just trying to protect herself from the big scary man!)

Overall, if you’re a fan of the previous films, or a fan of found-footage in general, and you’re looking for something fun to watch this spooky season, V/H/S 94 is airing exclusively on Shudder from Wednesday 6 October – so get it added to your Halloween watchlist immediately!

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