V/H/SBeyond
Directed by Jordan Downey; Christian Long; Justin Long; Justin Martinez; Virat Pal; Kate Siegel
Starring Phillip Andre Botello, Rhett Wellington, Libby Letlow
Rated R
Runtime: 1h 54m
Premiering on Shudder Oct. 4

by Avery Coffey, Staff Writer

The V/H/S franchise is a gold mine for found footage fans as well as horror fans looking for fresh ideas. It’s almost a safe haven for beloved horror creators to try new approaches that might be outside of their usual repertoire. Directors like Ti West, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, and Tyler Gillett have dealt a hand in the ever growing universe originally spawned by Brad Miska, founder of Bloody Disgusting. Though the individual movies are not direct sequels, they are loyal to the found-footage format and the elements that fans have grown to love.

In its seventh installment, we’re leaving the past behind to look…beyond (see what I did there?). Only a year after its official announcement, V/H/S Beyond takes horror’s contemporary icons and makes a promise to blow us out of orbit (pun certainly intended). Justin Long, Kate Seigel, and Mike Flanagan sparkle on the list of directors. The frame narrative establishes a confidence that you’re in for a fun time: Jay Cheel welcomes us with his mockumentary-style narrative revolving around a house with a history of strange and indescribable activity. After a bundle of old tapes are purchased at a flea market, the pseudo-experts dissect the debate of extraterrestrial existence. It’s slowly drowned out by the tape footage, though, and doesn’t really stand out in memory. I wouldn’t be upset if it was a spin-off feature the way SiREN was, because it could certainly stand on its own with some narrative tweaks.

Jordan Downey sets the bar high with his opening short Stork, co-written with Kevin Stewart. Amidst a string of baby disappearances, a police unit searches for clues inside a dilapidated house. Shot in first-person perspective, it’s reminiscent of a video game that gets you sweating with adrenaline. The off-beat tone is established almost immediately with palpable tension amongst the police unit. Taking the justice into their own hands, they ambush a house infested with brainless zombies defending something even more monstrous than they could’ve prepared for. It’s easy to get wound up in the spindle of this first tape. Its skillful blend of CGI and practical effects enhances its intergalactic splatterfest. By the cut of the tape, you’ll come to understand that this anthology is unlike your usual UFO movies.

Each subsequent tape stands out for one reason unique to itself. Dream Girl, directed by Virat Pal, is the ultimate definition of a crash out. In a climate where celebrities like Chappell Roan can’t even set her boundaries without ridicule, I support the message behind this short. The extraterrestrial subject of this narrative is far from the comfort of E.T. Justin Martinez’ Live and Let Die brings the household idea of an alien back but with catastrophe and gore. The storytelling effectively builds the tension that leads up to a well-executed jump scare. If you find yourself crying on your birthday, at least you’re not facing an alien invasion. The last two in the lineup are probably the shorts a majority of viewers’ most anticipated: Fur Babies (dir. Justin & Christian Long) and Stowaway (dir. Kate Seigel).

Seigel’s directorial debut is the highest quality all around. It has an authenticity that some found footage films struggle to grasp. This could be, in part, because of the limited vantage points we get once the guts of the story were exposed. It was a slow build to understand the danger at play. Maybe it was too slow for me. It didn’t keep my interest for too long. Or…maybe the Long brothers had me winded from their contribution. Fur Babies stands out for a multitude of reasons. While the other tapes are focused on unexplained sightings from beings beyond our understanding, this one verges into the same territory of sci-fi that Tusk (2014) resides in. It’s just comically charged as it is disturbing. You never want to look away either. I hope Long holds his Tusk experience with him in an endearing way and not a traumatic way. This short certainly raises a question or two.