V/H/S/2 has recently entered some theaters including are own shiny Nuarte and it should be leaving you with some anthology nightmares. (Piano slide noise) Sometimes I wish USA Network would still have late night horror movie marathons. Now we have the internet.A new anthology collection of found footage, the wrap-around video has a stupid couple breaking into a house for a tape. They shouldn't have, but hey their stupid and we need a small premise for this anthology to start. Since it's a sequel, there's more of a rush to get into the films and are their some nice ones in this collection.
The best way to review the movie is to classify the worst film in the anthology and the best. Along the way you'll encounter boobs, techno music and men in their underwear that shall creep you out.
Spoilers
Phase I Clinical Trials
A seemingly normal douche gets an electronic eye, with it he sees dead people. The weakest film in the anthology. You'll hate the main character and you'll hate the mysterious girl who finds him at his estate overlooking the city. Hey maybe the budget could have been spent on a hospital or lab that would have looked rich enough to put in an electronic eye. Even a college campus would have been better. You have a first person perspective as your seeing the footage from his robot eye, which has some nice touches here and there like seeing dead people and electronic feedback. The ever annoying rich script of f**k, gets as annoying as the girl who is just completely unlikable.
A Ride in the Park
A man goes for a ride in the park with a camera on his head. He gets bitten by a zombie and becomes a zombie. Instant classic, simple fun. Taking the premise of the first person camera and doing a good job with it unlike Phase 1 with a much more simple concept of someone turned into zombie. Watching his transformation, his first bite and taking damage all a treat for the eyes. They even threw in a birthday party intermixing the footage from the handheld camera. Fast and fun and a better connection to the character than the douche from the first film. You feel sorry for your zombie by the end of this one.
Safe Haven
Cult with some dark plans invites a camera crew in on their last day. Blown away, by this one, it easily could have been a feature length film with more build up. We see the lost footage left by the crew from a Satan worshiping cult. Many great homages to classic cult and demonic films and still orginal dark humor. When the end times come the ritual suicide by the group has them saying, "Amen" to the gunshots to the head. You have a wonderful performance by a totally creppy cult leader. His hand movements in a preliminary interview already have you questioning what's wrong with him. Little hints along the way should easily have you figuring out some surprises if you've watched other horror films. Great ending with perfect dark joke.
Slumber Party Alien Abduction
You were thinking of high school girls from the title? No, for young boys, one of which has an older sister and her boyfriend are having a fun weekend alone without their parents. Dirty and childish jokes cover their weekend until night falls. There's also a cute little canine with a camera attached to his collar. Horrifying aliens descend and start abducting everyone. Great moments of terror and surprise as you're running away from whatever these weird aliens want. The aliens are a take on the grey from other science fiction with huge open mouth. A great, "wait what was that moment early on" and some great lighting elements and tight spots constrict you from time to time.
End of anthology reviews
Jason Eisner’s ‘Slumber Party Alien Abduction had the highest production value and the conept of aliens was just enough of a twist to grab me. Those who didn't need to come back for the sequel are the people producing it. I would have much more preferred the quartet of directors of Radio Silence who did "10/31/98" in the first film then Adam Wingard and his Phase I Clinical Trials, though he does a good enough job with the wrap-around concept two see more lost footage. Other reviews might say the sequel is better with the more experienced directors at the helm. The ideas and concepts of the first one are simply top notch new horror. Don't compare the two, just hope more diverse directors join the anthology and the producers stay out of putting their own films in it.
Rent, download or go see it at its limited release.