“The Hunger Games” is a film series based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The films are directed by Gary Ross and produced by Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik, and Lawrence Kao. The series has been met with critical acclaim, winning four out of its six Academy Awards nominations.
VHS94 is a horror game that was released on the Nintendo Wii U. It has no graphics and is very short, but it is one of the scariest games I have ever played.
With the release of The Blair Witch Project in theaters, the found footage horror genre flourished, and many producers leapt at the chance to make something inexpensive that would make them a lot of money. Many films have utilized the format to accomplish this objective throughout time, with varying degrees of success and failure. In the year 2024, a new found footage film appears on the screens of the audience. What is the current state of affairs? Is it better to think of yourself as a success or a failure?
VHS 94 is an anthology film directed by Simon Barret, Timo Tjahjanto, Jennifer Reeder, Chloe Okuno, and Ryan Prows, featuring sections directed by Simon Barret, Timo Tjahjanto, Jennifer Reeder, Chloe Okuno, and Ryan Prows. The many tales are framed by a S.W.A.T. Team conducting a raid on what seems to be the headquarters of an extremely violent cult. The videotapes discovered within the premises show a series of horrific experiments and events, all of which are linked to a massive conspiracy.
Because of its cheap budget and outlandish approach to narrative, the VHS series has carved itself a niche in the business. This latest chapter in the series doesn’t go as far as the other films, but it does manage to inject a touch of quirky comedy and raise the parody aspects to a new level.
The tales are diverse, and they cover a wide range of topics. From a monster appearing in the sewers to a burial gone awry to an action-packed assault on a crazy scientist’s facility, this film has it all. The picture has a little bit of everything, but with that wonderful feeling of diversity comes a sense of chaos and incoherence. Even when the reports center on S.W.A.T. discoveries within the cult’s headquarters. None of the tales seem to have much in common other than the fact that they are all violent and poorly produced.
Some of these tales have virtually little production qualities. V/H/S/94 seems to have been produced on a tight budget, despite the fact that found footage films aren’t known for their lavish budgets, sets, or costume designs. This is a major issue since many of the tales are attempting to be too ambitious for the sake of being ambitious. The filmmakers put in the effort and have good intentions, yet they are unable to accomplish their objectives. Because of the film’s lack of budget, the horror aspect often devolves into sheer farce, as many of the special effects are much too false and silly to be taken seriously. Many of these tales eventually degenerate into gore fests, but once the initial shock wears off, seeing entrails tossed about all the time gets tedious and dull.
When it comes to directing, it’s odd that only Tjahjanto, out of the five directors on the project, gets to have his unique voice. The part that occurs in the middle of the movie is the longest and most outrageous. There’s a lot of gore, action, and scary creatures, but it’s all done with zeal and skill. The remainder of the segments aren’t very distinct from one another, and they might have been directed by the same individual.
Everyone’s acting is phony, and although this may lend a certain charm to certain sections, it comes off as amateurish at best in others.
If the directors and writers from all of the various sections had worked together instead of separately, the film would have been more consistent and each of the portions would have been able to feed off of each other.
It’s very difficult to find a frightening film right now. Audiences have seen so many ideas on television, and some of them have been executed so brilliantly, that coming up with excellent ideas is tough, and executing those ideas well is more harder. V/H/S/94 isn’t very frightening. It seems to be an attempt that will only find supporters among the most ardent fans of the series, or among those who don’t mind laughing at a terrible picture.
The film also emphasizes the limitations of the discovered footage format. It should be obvious at this time that only certain kinds of tales work effectively in this format. Others, on the other hand, are restricted in their expression and are harmed by a format with such tight restrictions that it requires in-universe logic to make sense. Filmmakers should pay greater attention to this. Perhaps several of the tales in this film would have been much better if they had been told in a more conventional manner.
Also, the VHS filter is excessive. This isn’t a visually appealing flick.
V/H/S/94 may be a step back for the franchise, but the show was never renowned for its high production standards, and there were always some intriguing tales sprinkled throughout. Everything seems to be half-baked here, with lofty goals but little means to fulfill them. Certainly, the creators are aware of their target demographic, and their attempt will appeal to some of them. However, given that each sequel should at least attempt to outperform the previous one, this picture took the 94 in its title much too literally, reversing the franchise’s fortunes.
