Well, that was something. . . . something else. . . .
Quick side note: it is my understanding that this film was written before V/H/S, but V/H/S was produced first. The theme of "dangerous, obscure tapes" is present in both.
You'll notice right away how poor the production value is - shaky camera, high saturation, jump cuts, poor lighting, etc.. Though, the slightly shaky camera actually seems intentional, and almost adds to this films charm. The scripting and acting follow suit, oscillating between absolutely terrible and arguably-decent-enough. But, surprisingly, the MOST glaring issue with this movie is the sound quality and mixing. It is often the case that the music and sound effects will nearly completely drown out the dialogue with an overbearing presence.
That said, the saving grace for this film is the fact the director(s) had, at the very least, definite ideas that they wanted to convey. The result is that it tells a pretty poorly crafted, yet streamlined story. Most of these stories even have a clear theme to their tenuous plots.
This time around we have 4 Tales and a Wraparound. Below are brief Plot Summaries:
Wraparound:
The wraparound involves 2 unassuming teens buying seemingly innocuous VHS tapes, and/or some weed, from a local dealer. As they watch the tapes, however, their situation becomes increasingly grim.
Suburban She Freak:
Tired of being on the receiving end of the world's cruelty, a gloomy girl with a large boil on her face attempts to circumvent her dilemma through dubious means.
Christmas Krampus:
An obviously exasperated mom degrades and berates her mentally challenged son until her callousness comes back to bite her.
Regenerate:
Getting by on his girlfriend's disability checks, an abusive boyfriend gets what he deserves when she discovers a miraculous drug.
Lepus:
This Halloween night, a small town becomes the target for a serial killer in a bunny suit.
