The only thing harder than keeping a horror franchise going is keeping it going after bringing it back. It has been proven that a strong comeback does not necessarily mean future installments will also be good. V/H/S/94 was met with widespread acclaim, with many happy to see it return and some even referring to it as the best entry in the series. So, it was no surprise to hear there would be a sequel. Most were excited to hear about V/H/S/99 – especially since the premise sounded so fun.
Whether a person was excited or not to hear about another V/H/S movie, there is no doubting the quick turnaround. After all, the last movie only came out a year ago and history has shown that quick turnarounds in horror are rarely a good thing. V/H/S/99 is different, however. Much like the rest of the films, it is connected thematically and not by narrative. Each individual entry has even had a number of directors work on them. There is less connective tissue than your typical franchise.
The flip side is comparisons become more critical. There is claiming that one movie is weaker due to building an overall story. Each new one stands on its own. This is especially difficult coming off a strong entry as is the case here. The goodwill carries over setting up what can be unrealistic expectations for the latest chapter. And, in all fairness, V/H/S/99 is not as good as its predecessor.
That does not mean it is a bad movie, however. More so than the others, it leans into its title. While the turn of the millennium feel is not always communicated, the feel of the 1990s does comes through. The skateboarding videos, music, and slang will take viewers back, although the lack of puka shells is somewhat disappointing. What really gets the nostalgia over are the characters. They feel like the types of people who would sit around and watch Jackass while listening to Limp Bizkit. They are sometimes bigger draws than the actual scares.
This may be the biggest issue with V/H/S/99. It is interesting to watch the people, but many of the stories lack strong payoffs. This is most noticeable in ‘Shredding’ and ‘The Gawkers’, two stories that effectively take audiences back to a different time, before ending weakly. Thankfully, there are stronger tales that balance things out. Plus, part of enjoying anthologies is the realization is some stories do not hit as strongly as others.
‘Ozzy’s Dungeon’ is an inspired premise that looks at the world of children’s game shows while ‘Suicide Bid’ is the most frightening story of the bunch. It deals with real life phobias and is an all around tense watch. The standout of V/H/S/99 is ‘To Hell and Back’ from Joseph and Vanessa Winter. It is funny, filled with great characters (Mabel is a highlight), and scary. It also deals with the coming of a new century. It is one of the best segments of the entire series.
V/H/S/99 is a welcome addition to a franchise that has seen its ups and downs. While some of the storytelling is uneven, each segment has well written characters. The movie takes some risks that payoff such as dealing with being buried alive and the wraparound is silly fun. It concludes with a memorable installment. Anthologies are difficult to pull off, but V/H/S/99 manages to do it.
V/H/S/99 comes to Shudder October 20
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