An anthology of camera-related stories, with a wrap-around story involving a guy (Patrick Lawrie) filming police cars, whilst his girlfriend (Emilia Zoryan) runs into some trouble. The first story is about a stage magician (Justin Welborn) arrested for murder. A videotape reveals a sinister pact, a magical cape, and dead people. Next up we have a story about a Spanish scientist who creates a device that opens up a parallel world, where he finds another version of himself having created his own device. A decision to switch places leads to some very weird discoveries. Like you don’t know how weird, believe me, we’re talking super, duper weird here. Finally we have a story about skater punks with cameras hooked to their helmets, who get a nasty surprise when they come across a very strange cult of seemingly ghoulish creatures who immediately set upon them.
I don’t normally like rocking up to the third film in a series without having seen previous entries, but I heard that wouldn’t be much of an issue here. However, if this 2014 anthology film is any indication of the quality of previous entries, perhaps I shouldn’t bother with the first two. We start off with a gorgeous girl with a beautiful smile. Is there any better way to start a film? I think not. Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there, folks.
The central gimmick of the film is really annoying, not only as a ghastly visual gimmick with all the faux-tracking and queasy-cam issues, but it also makes practically no sense. Think about the title alone, VHS…Viral? How does the one even belong in the same universe as the other? It doesn’t, it’s a lame attempt at sounding hip and current without giving it a moment’s thought. So we’re left with a storytelling device that isn’t explained, and seems to ape technology that is completely outdated (VHS) and at odds with ‘viral video’-era technology (cameras on helmets etc.)
Even if you get past all of the weird technological issues, the stories chosen here for what is essentially a ‘found footage’ anthology, just don’t work. Why would you use the faux-reality of the ‘found footage’ gimmick for a story about a magician? Spoiler alert, kiddies: Magic is a trick, it’s not ‘real’. Ask Penn and Teller, they’ll even show you how it’s done. Besides, unless Vincent Price is involved, magicians and horror should never mix. Never. Ever. The phony acting by Justin Welborn as the magician also helps ruin the ‘illusion’ of faux-reality here, too (as does the fact that I recognised the guy from other films- Oopsy! It’s one of my biggest gripes about faux-reality films). True, “Paranormal Activity” was based on BS too (potential ghosts), but that was at least well-done. If something is done well, you’ll buy into anything. Here, I wasn’t buying anything. After that segment we get one of the dumber time-travel stories I’ve come across. “Project Almanac” it ain’t. Spanish aliens with giant hairy, carnivorous alien penises? Really? So stupid, and that goes for the whole damn film. The third segment isn’t any better. In fact, it’s the dumbest of all three, which takes some serious doing. I mean, as if the VHS nonsense weren’t bad enough, but skater punks? In 2014? Sigh. This segment is especially poorly shot, so if you get seasick easily, I hope you’ve got your paper bag ready.
OVERALL SUMMARY
The whole thing is seriously underdone (the wraparound especially), completely ridiculous, and visually vomitory. Not remotely enjoyable and certainly one of the worst films of 2014. Eye-rollingly stupid.
