The popular anthology series takes the Sci-Fi route, but it still feels so familiar…..

By now you know what to expect from the V/H/S franchise! A few short stories, told around a longer plot arc which either delight or frustrate and while the franchise now moves towards the UFO angle, which on paper sounds like a delightful idea, it all seems like we’ve trodden this path, many times before.

Even now, after so many instalments, nothing quite beats the original film’s Amateur Night which introduced the world to Lilly and her now iconic “I like you!” phase and yet we as fans still watch in hope we even get close to that wonderful tale of pure terror and mayhem.

With the likes of Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel and Justin Long all having a hand in some of these tales, there is a genuine attempt here to offer something different and the intriguing alien angle, which was originally done in a tale way back in the franchise’s first sequel, should be enough of a hook to get fans watching, even though most tales are miss, rather than an exciting jolt of the close encounters of the third kind.

The arc is centred around a lot of talking heads as we see Jay Cheel‘s “Abduction/Adduction” taking the format of a docuseries about aliens, showing real footage of alleged UFO sightings and building up to an eventual tape that may prove evidence of such things happening in our skies. In-between we get short stories, the first being STORK  co-written and directed by Jordan Downey, which comes across at first as a Zombie tale, told like a DOOM type video-game, before morphing into something else. Its a chaotic tale full of guns and mayhem which is an easy watch, never scary and also instantly forgettable.

The second story, Virat Pal‘s “Dream Girl” is the first Indian entry and it has enough mystery to keep you enthralled, until the reveal brings the same style of murderous bloodshed of the last tale. We follow a paparazzi team, chasing after Bollywood star, Tara (Namrata Sheth), and when invited to a video shoot, they discover a dark secret, hidden among her fame. Its a decent entry that doesn’t really re-invent the rule book, but gore hounds will lap up the limbs flying and blood poured.

Starting off really strong is the third entry by Radio Silence’s Justin Martinez. The cleverly titled “Live and Let Dive” follows a gang of friends on a skydive who before they jump from their small plane, spot a UFO in which they eventually collide with. Its a brilliant set-piece with some eye-catching aerial shots, but as soon as they land on the ground, it becomes just another repetitive chase scene that we’ve seen countless times before, even though it does carry a cool alien design.

Justin Long and his brother Christian deliver the most fun tale in FUR BABIES set around a dog day care centre led by a brilliant Libby Letlow who plays Becky, the owner who seems to be running the most perfect place to leave your dog, but she is soon revealed to be a deranged pet lover who may have seen Kevin Smith’s TUSK too many times and made some notes. This entry I must say, was the one that had me watching with a huge smile on my face.

The final entry “STOWAWAY” is written by Mike Flanagan and directed by his wife Kate Siegel (Sons of Anarchy, Futurama). With such a talented duo behind the camera, this is a delightful tale that follows a young woman named Halley (Alanah Pearce) who is making a documentary exploring the strange lights seen in the Mojave Desert. When they appear and she gives chase, the film becomes something different and unique. This entry may not be for everyone and the grainy shoot towards the end, may frustrate, but its a bold take on the abduction tale and something which I quite enjoyed.

Overall through, the downside of BEYOND is that its not scary or frightening. None of the tales really stand out among the franchise greatest hits and while the enthusiasts will find much to enjoy, for most fans, there are too many tales in this entry that makes this a forgettable experience when we all wish it could drive us…. out of this world in terror…..

Rating: ★★☆☆☆