V/H/S

A typically uneven horror anthology, V/H/S follows a group of trouble-making misfits as they attempt to track down a VHS tape contained within a creepy old apartment – with the movie subsequently consisting of five found-footage tales culled from random tapes found in said apartment. There’s little doubt that V/H/S gets off to a palpably underwhelming start, as the film’s wraparound story, directed by Adam Wingard, boasts an excessively low-rent feel that immediately establishes an atmosphere of jittery annoyance – with this vibe perpetuated by the outset of the first story, David Bruckner’s Amateur Night. And while that tale admittedly does improve as it progresses, the remainder of the movie’s installments suffer from a similar unevenness that is, to say the least, somewhat distracting and disheartening. Having said that, V/H/S admittedly does contain a number of striking and downright creepy moments – with the midsection of Ti West’s Second Honeymoon, in particular, peppered with a smattering of impressively sinister images. (There’s little doubt, however, that the short’s impact is substantially diminished by its hopelessly conventional conclusion.) The next two tales, Glenn McQuaid’s Tuesday the 17th and Joe Swanberg’s The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger – a tedious slasher and an incoherent webcam shocker, respectively – perpetuate V/H/S‘ decidedly erratic atmosphere, and although the film picks up with its final installment, Radio Silence’s audacious and gleefully over-the-top 10/31/98, it’s ultimately impossible to label the movie as anything more than a watchable yet overlong and meandering low-budget horror effort.

**1/2 out of ****