V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 7, 2025

The “V/H/S” series previously petered out after three installments a decade ago. Revived in 2021, the franchise has enjoyed real momentum this time around, with “V/H/S/Beyond” the fourth chapter of the reboot saga (and seventh overall). As with many horror series, quality ranges, but the concept and execution of it all stays relatively steady in “V/H/S/Beyond,” with general fright interests paired with sci-fi touches. Aliens are primarily the focus of the offering, with another batch of filmmakers using small budgets and big imaginations to generate horrific meetings with the unknown and the unexpectedly threatening. The segments vary in quality and intensity, but the latest adventure in fears and dangerous situations scores more than it misses, with a few chapters displaying some terrific skill and vision when detailing close encounters of the bloody kind.

In “Abduction/Adduction” (directed by Jay Cheel), experts and debunkers examine the history of Farrington House, which was home to horrors captured by a man questing to understand the entity that destroyed his family. “Stork” (directed by Jordan Downey) follows the effort of a police team infiltrating a decrepit dwelling believed to be the site of infant abductions, with one member of the unit a father looking for his baby. “Dream Girl” (directed by Virat Pal) finds paparazzi members Arnab (Sayandeep Sengupta) and Sonu (Rohan Joshi) granted access to a film set, looking to collect footage on enigmatic actress Tara (Namrata Sheth), only to discover the real reason behind her tremendous success. “Live and Let Dive” (directed by Justin Martinez) displays the celebration of Zach’s (Bobby Slaski) 30th birthday party, joining his friends for an afternoon of skydiving, which turns into a desperate scramble for survival when the plane encounters an alien ship in the sky. “Fur Babies” (directed by Christian and Justin Long) observes the careful ways of two animal activists looking to expose “Doggie Dream House” owner Becky (Libby Letow), only to find the suspicious kennel home to much more than canine pampering. And “Stowaway” (directed by Kate Siegel) tracks documentarian Halley’s (Alanah Pierce) quest to learn more about mysterious lights in the Mojave Desert.

“Abduction/Adduction” establishes the theme of “V/H/S/Beyond,” with a small assortment of television/YouTube commentators examining footage collected by a Redditor at a flea market. It’s the most found-footage element of the anthology movie, though it offers a low-energy introduction to the picture, with Cheel working to create a sense of documentary realism while examining the details of Farrington House and its strange atmosphere and history. Matters grow more urgent with “Stork,” where Downey endeavors to use multiple POVs from police body cams and cameramen to generate a hectic home invasion experience, often shot like a first-person video game. The segment is familiar with quaking visuals and a reliance on cursing to fill out improvisational performances (this is also an annoyance in “Live and Let Dive”), but it comes a terrific close after building a decent mystery involving the appearance of zombie-like ghouls defending their living space from raging cops.

“Dream Girl” has an interesting story concerning paparazzi offenses, watching Arnab and Sonu take an opportunity to make real money with a chance to capture footage of Tara working on her latest project in Mumbai. Pal gets a little carried away, supplying most of a Bollywood musical number, which stops “V/H/S/Beyond” cold as the usual in song and dance is delivered. Things gets back to weirdness when the action moves into Tara’s trailer, with Arnab handed a front-row seat to her strange reality. More death and destruction comes for all, with Pal delivering an adequate level of carnage. “Live and Let Dive” is the most creative segment of “V/H/S/Beyond,” with Martinez blending strong visual effects with a rich sense of disorientation as a skydiving date turns into a nightmare involving an encounter with an alien ship. Aerial activity brings sharp intensity to the segment, which eventually graduates into a more panicky hunt for safety around an orange grove.

V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) for "V/H/S/Beyond" examines the varied world of video recordings, falling in line with other releases in the series. A few of the shorts do offer some level of detail when cameras aren't being tossed around. Makeup achievements and creature creations are appreciable, along with some skin particulars on humans. Room tours maintain adequate depth, and dimension is retained for a few outside experiences. Color is secure, with red blood and gray hues on alien activity. Bollywood experiences bring out a livelier look, using hotter lighting. Delineation is satisfactory. Some very mild banding is detected.

V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix for "V/H/S/Beyond" maintains a mostly frontal listening experience. Dialogue is handled successfully, retaining intelligibility and dramatic emphasis in difficult conditions. Changes in sound quality due to the technology in use is understood and smoothly executed. Music is limited in the feature, with "Dream Girl" using the most power when it comes to instrumentation and vocals as a dance sequence arrives. An end credit song also handles with authority. Surrounds are limited, working out occasional atmospherics and crowd panic. Low-end secures some alien ship movement and deeper beats. Sound effects are distinct, working through an assortment of bodily harm and alien activity.

V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Pre-Visuals on 'Live and Let Dive'" (1:08) detail how the skydiving sequence was initially planned out.

• "Libby Letlow 'Fur Babies' Audition Tape" (4:47, HD) is a surprisingly complete acting demonstration from the actress.

• "Do You Want a Selfie?: The Making of 'Dream Girl'" (16:55, HD) is an extensive understanding of the filmmaking process on the short. Extending from makeup tests to actual shooting, cameras are there to survey the labor involved in bringing such a ghoulish short to life, and one that required dance choreography to master.

• Image Gallery includes "Live and Let Dive" (:10), "Dream Girl" (:09), "Stork" (:19), and "Stowaway" (:05).

• "Behind the Scenes of 'Stork' with IGN" (8:07, HD) visits the set on the last day of shooting, interviewing cast and crew about their work on the short. Director Jordan Downey is one of the interviewees, and he provides valuable background information concerning the origin of the idea, which was inspired by strange internet artwork by Oleg Vdovenko. Also of interest is BTS footage, watching how the team pulled off monstrous events.

• "'Stowaway' Set Timelapse" (5:01, HD) details the cast and crew at work, making a sequence from the short come to life.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

V/H/S/Beyond Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"V/H/S/Beyond" detours into body horror during the last two shorts, with "Fur Babies" making use of Justin Long's experience on Kevin Smith's "Tusk" to generate a ghoulish imprisonment for the characters. "Stowaway" is the least effective segment of the feature. While writer Mike Flanagan has an idea for an alien encounter, Siegel doesn't bring the journey to a boil, making for a slightly aimless overview of curiosity-gone-wrong. "V/H/S/Beyond" doesn't exactly have a powerful ending, returning to the snoozy tale of "Abduction/Adduction" for a limp closer, but the endeavor has enough macabre events and rampaging creatures to support the viewing experience. The picture also offers a nice change of pace, delving into alien activity and unknown threats to help refresh the appeal of the "V/H/S" gimmick.