Directed By: Flying Lotus, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Johannes Roberts, Joseph
Winter, Vanessa Winter
Starring: Verona Blue, Dashiell Derrickson, Joseph Winter, Tybee Diskin
Plot Summary: Witness a hellish vision of 1999, as social isolation, analog technology and disturbing home videos fuse into a nightmare of found footage savagery.
V/H/S/94 was incredible, and it was the injection that the V/H/S series needed. When it was announced that a follow up, V/H/S/99, was in the works, I was beyond excited. In fact, in a year full of amazing horror offerings, this was the top of my must-see list. With that excitement came an equal amount of nervousness. Could this live up to the highs of the last film? Well, I can say that, hell yes, it does!
V/H/S/99 starts strong with Shredding, which sees a group of teens who record themselves breaking into a supposedly haunted building. A few years prior, a local band was playing when a fire broke out. All the fans escaped, but in doing so they trampled the band to death. As you might have guessed, the kids are not alone in this creepy and fun segment. Shredding really does capture the right edgy teenage scene happening in the ’90s. What really sells this time period is damn solid production design and fantastic acting which feels authentic. During the montage of footage of the friends goofing off, the teens genuinely feel real and not something overworked in a writer’s imagination. However, for as much comedy as this film has, it does balance the horror in a very successful way. Shredding is a simple, yet highly effective segment, and it starts this anthology on a pitch perfect note.
The next segment is Suicide Bid, in which an outcast wanting to pledge a sorority is made to spend the night in a coffin where legend has it a restless spirit awaits. For anyone who has ever been claustrophobic, this is pure nightmare fuel. Much like Shredding, the narrative is simple yes, but it has enough interesting things going for it that it feels like it could easily be expanded into a feature. Being bullied is something that a lot of people can relate to, so working that into the plot is a smart and effective hook. Not to mention, the ending is oh so satisfying.
Ozzy’s Dungeon is next which sees a game show similar to Legends of the Hidden Temple. The premise is, if you can successfully make it through a series of absurd challenges, you get a chance to make it through Ozzy’s Dungeon. If you do, you are granted a wish. Donna (Amelia Ann) nearly makes it, yet she is horribly injured. Her family seeks revenge but gets far more than they bargain for. By far the most surreal, Ozzy’s Dungeon takes the idea of a weird kid’s challenge show from the 90’s and adds a dose of Lovecraftian horror to the table. I love this concept, and the director isn’t afraid to go darkly funny and unnerving in equal measures.
The Gawkers is the second to last segment, and here you find the brother of a group of boys pressured into installing spyware on the hot new neighbor’s computer, which would allow them to access her webcam. This of course has a horrific outcome. This is another really fantastic short, but oh so sweet segment. While not as clever as the segment before it, it keeps you engaged throughout, and the finale is unexpected and thrilling as hell. The only minor complaint is the dodgy CGI, but it is not so bad that it will ruin your enjoyment.
The final segment is To Hell and Back directed by Deadstream’s Joseph and Venessa Winter, the husband-and-wife filmmaking duo who we were lucky enough to speak to recently. To Hell and Back sees a group perform a ritual that unleashes literal hell on earth during the New Year, Y2K. All of the segments are humorous, but this one is probably the most overtly funny – although that’s not to suggest this one doesn’t have plenty of chilling treats in store. Also, if you have a horror anthology set in 1999, it feels like you have to have a Y2K themed story. This does not disappoint, and Mabel, a sassy demon also known as Mabel the Skull Biter, might be the stand out character in this film, like Ratmaa was in V/H/S/94. Joseph Winter pulls double-duty by starring in this, and he brings his comedic chops here. Couple this with the special effects and sharp writing, and you have what might be my favorite segment. Also sprinkled throughout are some homemade commercials and a stop motion that also are fantastically done. We even get a cameo from a popular character from V/H/S/94.
Overall, V/H/S/99 really raises the bar high for the series. It’s as good if not better than the previous entry, and it has a host of horrific and fun surprises in store. V/H/S/99 is a hell of a lot of fun.
V/H/S/99 is currently available to stream on Shudder.
V/H/S/99 really raises the bar high for the series. It’s as good if not better than the previous entry, and it has a host of horrific and fun surprises in store
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GVN Rating 9
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.