Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spooky anthology horror film has lots of gore, sex, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
V/H/S
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 17 kid reviews
Kids say that this horror movie offers a unique and distorted anthology format filled with disturbing imagery and plenty of gore, sex, and nudity, which is a significant turn-off for many viewers. While some appreciate the scares and creativity, others find the excessive sexual content and graphic violence detracting from its overall quality and appropriateness for younger audiences.
- excessive violence
- graphic sexual content
- unique anthology format
- mixed viewer enjoyment
- not for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
A group of Internet pranksters is given the task of breaking into an old house and stealing a certain VHS videotape. The robbers pop random tapes into a player and watch five different "stories": A group of partiers attempts to pick up a couple of girls in a bar, only to discover that one of them isn't quite human. A couple on their second honeymoon is visited by a mysterious figure. A group of friends ventures into the woods, where a bizarre killer is known to have struck. A doctor speaks to his new girlfriend over Skype, trying to help her out with her ghost sightings and paranormal happenings. And three friends attend a Halloween party at the wrong house, stumbling into a kind of deadly cult ritual.
Is It Any Good?
Overall, V/H/S is a unique and effective movie for fans of the genre. Horror anthologies have a long history, stretching back to Waxworks (1923) and reaching a high water mark with Dead of Night (1945). V/H/S seems mainly dedicated to fans who watched these films and many others on muddy old video tapes, or perhaps made their own. The quality in V/H/S is unfailingly low -- intentionally -- with sloppy hand-held camerawork and fuzzy framing. It might even be better to see it at home, rather than on a big screen.
But the spirit is willing, and all six segments come up with some genuinely spooky ideas. And, unlike many horror anthologies, the quality is consistent. No one segment is noticeably better or worse than the others, though the terrific director Ti West (The Innkeepers) seems more focused on characters in his segment, "Second Honeymoon." And the visual effects in the last segment, "10/31/98," are very impressive, especially in contrast to the grungy video imagery.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about V/H/S' extreme violence. Is a horror movie scarier with lots of blood? What's the impact of showing so much gore?
How much of the sex in this movie is violent in nature? Is there any case where sex or sexual situations occur between a loving couple? What does the movie have to say about this subject?
In the first segment, why do the characters get so completely drunk before attempting intimacy? What message does that send?
Is the movie scarier because it's shown from the point of view of video cameras? How is this different from an ordinary horror movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 5, 2012
- On DVD or streaming : December 4, 2012
- Cast : Hannah Fierman , Joe Swanberg , Sophia Takal
- Directors : David Bruckner , Ti West
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Magnet Releasing
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 116 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violence, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, pervasive language and some drug use
- Last updated : March 26, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate