Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘V/H/S/Beyond’

10/7/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Alanah Pearce as Hailey in Kate Siegel’s ‘Stowaway’ in V/H/S/BEYOND. (Photo Courtesy of Shudder.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, V/H/S/Beyond.

There is a prevailing belief in our world, that popular franchises simply get worse over time, and it makes sense as to why this belief exists. After all, we have seen television shows lose some of their gravitas over time and tell stories that flat out signal that the show has run its course and is indeed out of ideas. Plus, we see this in film as well. Since some franchises do some wild things to keep everything ‘fresh’ in later sequels, such as sending cars and sharks into space, and of course… this is something that is considered to be commonplace in the horror genre as well.

For we have seen Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees go from genuinely brutal killers that people feared through and through, to caricatures of themselves or they took part in some supremely weird stories that defied their mythos. If anything, the mantra is that horror cannot sustain certain concepts for much longer than a handful of sequels and yet… this belief is proven wrong by some. For there are some horror franchises that find ways to reinvent themselves and become popular once again, and there are some… that actually get better with age, like a fine wine. In fact, one particular franchise that resembles that description, just released its finest (and seventh) installment in its storied saga to prove once again… that not all franchises suffer from this rule.

For V/H/S/Beyond, on Shudder, is nothing short of a horror anthology masterpiece, and its many tales showcase how a franchise can remain fresh and find ways to grow its audience, and this particular feature informs us that one way to make that happen… is to mix things up. For this new entry in the saga, embraces genre fusion by throwing science fiction into the horror mix. All by pondering upon a question, that we have asked for generations on end. In that, are we alone in the universe? And diving into the answer for that, allows for some refreshing alien stories to come to life in this anthology. Such as ‘Stork’ and ‘Live and Let Dive’.

Which provide us with some unique content to say the least, since ‘Stork’ leans heavy into the idea of what would happen if alien life landed on Earth and worked to survive based upon its instincts. Which brings forth an intense story that peppers in a little zombie fun before giving us quite the reveal. Whereas ‘Live and Let Dive’ takes the time to explore what would happen if we ran into other life and it wasn’t friendly. Which perfectly brings forth some wonderful sci-fi and deep dark horror elements and what’s amazing, is that the wonder of this film doesn’t end there. Since it harbors a deeply chilling alien wraparound story, and it even makes sure to provide a little something to the average and hardcore horror fan as well.

Since this movie features a unique, cyberpunk/demon story in ‘Dream Girl’. Which will please the gore hounds out there, while ‘Fur Babies’ will outright please the horror fans that want something wild and terrifying to happen, courtesy of a story that asks… what if Annie Wilkes learned medicine from Doctor Frankenstein and decided to run a doggy day care? But truly, the centerpiece story of this anthology is ‘Stowaway’. Since it features one of the most refreshing and unique alien stories to ever grace our screens. Courtesy of a chilling and intelligent script from horror icon Mike Flanagan, and seamless direction from another horror icon, Kate Siegel, and that story truly chills one to the bone with what takes place and the ideas it brings forth.

All of which really does give rise to an amazing anthology film, one that showcases how a franchise like this stays fresh. Because it is willing to dig into new ideas and try new things, and it also brings forth a beautiful blend of fresh voices and established star power. Since we must note that Justin Long helped bring ‘Fur Babies’ to life, and well… all of these elements make this an absolute must-watch. Because it really does have something for every horror fan out there, and it features some genuinely intense and unsettling stories that are unpredictable and original and an outright treat. One that truly embraces originality and lets it be known that franchises can indeed thrive and improve with a little love and a little care for what they stand for.

Watch ‘V/H/S/Beyond’

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