What we have in V/H/S are a bunch of prolonged horror moments that in
usual cases would be the climax to any average horror movie. The movie
manages to throw 5 of these 'money shots' at the viewer without the
need to tell any real story, build any of the characters or introduce
their personality's to the audience. Whether this is a stroke of genius
originality or just laziness is the question.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that V/H/S is the result a brain
storming session where five writers pitched five stories, with one
'Eureka' moment of making a movie of the ending of all five. What they
seemingly failed to spend any real time on though was the glue to bind
the five stories together. It is completely irrelevant, in fact I would
go as far as to say the movie would be better without it, a "Here are
five tapes that were found, now watch them" instead.
I have to say I am a fan of 'found footage movies'. To me they achieve
the desired effect and can, at times, create some truly chilling
moments. This movie does have it's moments but after a while it all
gets too much, the 'found footage' angle is somehow lost with the
constant change of story. You are never really allowed to reach the
same level of suspense as with other films in this genre.
6/10. It passed the time but I eventually found myself wanting it to
end and asking myself "How many stories to go?"