Film review: V/H/S , a 'found footage' horror

(18)

Anthony Quinn
Thursday 17 January 2013 21:30 GMT
Comments
V/H/S
V/H/S

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The "found footage" horror movie is living on borrowed time, though V/H/S is refusing to let it die. A portmanteau of six short films by different directors, its linking story concerns a bunch of petty thieves who break into a derelict house to retrieve a videotape for a client.

What they find isn't edifying: the house's owner dead in a chair surrounded by TV screens and a cache of old cassettes. One of the house-breakers plays the tapes and, well, there's the movie.

David Bruckner's story of an amateur porn film gone horribly wrong has some bite, possibly helped by its placing high up the order.

Ti West offers a sinister squib of a couple on a road trip and the evergreen creepiness of motel rooms. But being strung together only highlights the sameyness of the material, the shakycam, the heavy breathing, the sudden flurries of terror.

There's nothing here you haven't seen done better in Vacancy, Paranormal Activity or even Sinister.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in