V/H/S/2

V/H/S 2 is the sequal of V/H/S which is an anthology about people finding tapes, about otherworldly events. V/H/S 2 is an improvement over the first one, in basically every aspect. The stories and the events are more brutal and entertaining and some of them, are very great and absolute movie materials. The ending one is my favourite but the bicycle one with the zombies is also great. V/H/S 2 is bloody, gory and funny sometimes and it can give you chills while make you feel entertained. The whole tape thing is explained too, giving them some mystery element that there are several of them and some people just collect these. I really wanted V/H/S to be the next big thing, but the third one makes me so sad. It was really bad, compared to this.

All in all, V/H/S 2 is a great movie with great stories. I can recommend the first and the second one, but the third one is not that great.

I decided to rewatch "V/H/S/2" to introduce this series to my brother. The film takes a dark approach, almost resembling a snuff movie, but always rewards us with creative twists that pay homage to various elements of horror cinema.

The film presents four short films directed by notable names in the genre, such as Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Eduardo Sánchez, and Gregg Hale (the creators of "Blair Witch Project"), Gareth Evans, and Timo Tjahjanto.

The movie begins with "Phase I Clinical Trials," which might be the weakest of the anthology. The premise involves a man who, after receiving an ocular implant, starts seeing spirits. However, the execution falls short. The concept is intriguing, but the short is hampered by a lack of tension, as well as makeup and cinematography that fail to create the necessary atmosphere for effective horror.

Moving on to "A Ride in the Park," we see a more creative and fresh take on the zombie subgenre. The idea of seeing the world through the eyes of a zombie is an interesting twist, especially in the context of found footage. This short stands out for its originality, offering a new perspective by showing things from the villain's point of view. Unlike the generic "In A Violent Nature," which used the same formula, this entry brought something new, keeping the viewer engaged and intrigued. It's an example of how a simple idea can be turned into something good when done right.

"Safe Haven" is, without a doubt, the highlight of "V/H/S/2." This short film, focused on a bizarre and terrifying cult, perfectly captures the essence of psychological and supernatural horror. The tension is palpable, and the narrative takes the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster, culminating in a shocking ending. The cinematography, atmosphere, and performances are exceptional, creating a very bizarre mood. This segment deserves to be expanded into a full-length feature.

The final short, "Slumber Party Alien Abduction," closes the anthology with an interesting take on alien invasion. While not the most impactful, it still manages to entertain and surprise. I recommend watching it with the volume up to enhance the sensory experience.

In summary, "V/H/S/2" is an anthology that, even though it doesn't fully capture the surprise of my first viewing, still offers moments of pure horror and creativity. It's an experience that, despite its imperfections, is worth revisiting-especially for those looking for something different in the horror genre.

V/H/S/2 (2013)

*** (out of 4)

Gory sequel to the 2012 film has a pair of investigators breaking into an apartment where they find an assortment of videotapes. The first story involves a man who receives a mechanical eye transplant that soon allows him to see dead people. The second story has a biker with a camera on his helmet getting bit by a zombie and soon he turns into one. The third story takes place at a strange cult school where the leader is being interviewed when "it" happens. The fourth and final story deals with a group of boys who keep playing a prank on one's sister when something joins them. I enjoyed the first film in the series and this one here is actually a tad bit stronger thanks in large part to the first two stories. The majority of the camera work comes from the camera being placed on people head's and I must admit that this gave me a headache at times but I will give the filmmakers credit as this did allow some familiar stories to be told in new ways. This is especially true for the second story when we get the POV shots from the zombie as he goes searching for people to eat. This was a rather unique spin on the genre and it really worked. The first story was also quite good, although this mechanical eye thing left some logical issues. Still, the episode is a good one and features some nice ideas. The fourth episode is one I won't ruin but there's a nice little twist along the way and I think it manages to be quite ambitious. The third film is without question the weakest but it does contain some very twisted scenes and a high level of gore. V/H/S/2 has the same look of the first film as the quality is quite different from one story to the next but this gives the film its own unique feel. Fans of gore will also enjoy that there's plenty of that going on here and especially in the third story, which is a downright bloodbath and even the second one contains a lot of the red stuff. For the most part the performances were just fine and at 95-minutes the film goes by fairly quickly. V/H/S/2 is a nice little gem that has a few flaws but for the most part it works well and I look forward to future installments.

V/H/S 2 manages to fix the faults of the first. It's shorter and takes the grungy, exploitative snuff film tone of V/H/S and adds more excitement and humor. The quality of the shorts this time around are much more consistent, but they are still a mixed bag. The first short "Phase I: Clinical Trials" is average at best, but it mixed in a bit of humor which I liked. "A Ride in the Park" was fantastic and incredibly unique in it's use of the first person POV. It was my favorite of the four segments. "Safe Haven" is a close second with countless WTF moments. I would have loved a feature length version of this one. The weakest entry was the last, "Slumber Party Alien Abduction". It ineffectively used loud noises and bright lights to generate scares and it just didn't work for me. The wrap around story "Tape 49" was good, but I liked the ambiguity of the first films "Tape 56" better. V/H/S 2 added fun to the series and I hope these films continue.

Wow, what a contrast this film is with the first one! Most found-footage films I've seen have always had me wondering why the hell the people in the films are bothering to carry video cameras around and record the events that are unfolding around them as they run for their lives, this one is different, every use of a camera has been cleverly thought out and explained, from a camera mounted on a mountain bikers helmet to a documentary crew with button cameras, and even a bionic prosthetic eye, the intelligence that the film makers put it into this has made this into one of the best ff films I've had the pleasure of watching.

In comparison to the first V/H/S film I thought this one was a whole lot more mature, the stories were more believable and well written, the excellent sequence from a zombies perspective was hilarious and gory and by far my favourite, I'm not sure if it was meant to be funny, but if it was it worked brilliantly.

In V/H/S 1 there wasn't much said about the video tapes, only that they were found, someone wanted them and that they contained some pretty freaky stuff, this time I think the film makers have realised that they could have a gold mine hiding within the urban legend of the tapes, and have started to play on this legend a little more, and I think if they continue down the path they have ahead of them, expanding on the legend, keeping the intelligent use of cameras and smart reasons behind the tapes discovery for each film, then they could have a franchise as successful as the Saw franchise.

Here's hoping! More reviews at http://stuarthine.worpress.com