V/H/S/Halloween (2025) Review

The V/H/S franchise is back, and for its eighth instalment, it’s tackling Halloween. V/H/S/Halloween serves up a new batch of spooky season stories from directors both new and old, including Paco Plaza, Casper Kelly, and Anna Zlokovic. It definitely tries to capture that Trick ‘r Treat energy, but with the classic V/H/S found-footage chaos we’ve come to expect. Some segments are amazing, others… not so much, creating that uneven but fun experience the franchise is known for. So, let’s hit rewind and break down each segment.

First up is the wraparound story, “Diet Phantasma,” directed by Bryan M. Ferguson. This one’s set back in 1982 and follows a shady corporation testing a new soda made from – get this – the extract of actual poltergeists. As you can probably guess, the side effects are… explosive. The segment really sets a darkly funny and gory tone for the movie, leaning hard into gross-out gags as the test subjects meet some seriously gruesome ends. It’s a fun, if a little thin, way to frame the whole anthology.

Our first real short is “Coochie Coochie Coo” from director Anna Zlokovic. It’s about two teen girls who are out trick-or-treating and wander into the house of a demonic, multi-teated “Mommy” figure who turns her victims into her own creepy, baby-like children. This segment is all about unsettling, funhouse-style horror with some truly memorable creature design. But be warned, the queasy visuals, jarring jump cuts, and how much you see the monster might be a total assault on your senses.

Next is “Ut Supra Sic Infra,” from [REC] co-creator Paco Plaza. This one’s cool because it blends a true-crime doc style with found footage. We see police as they revisit the scene of a bizarre mass murder at a Halloween party, and they’ve brought the only survivor with them. The tension just keeps building as the authorities start to repeat the same occult ritual that caused all the horror in the first place. It’s a chilling and really well-made entry that stands out because of its unique structure.

Then we have Casper Kelly’s “Fun Size.” The idea is simple: greedy trick-or-treaters who take more than one piece of candy from a bowl get teleported to a nightmare factory. There, a mascot with a pumpkin head named Fun Size turns them into chocolate-covered treats. This segment is pretty much everyone’s favourite and the clear standout of the film. It’s just an insane, super inventive, and crowd-pleasing blast of wild energy and dark comedy.

From there, we get to the most divisive short, “Kidprint,” by Alex Ross Perry. Set in 1992, it’s about a video store owner who offers to record parents’ kids for identification purposes, which was a real service Blockbuster once offered. Things take a dark turn with the growing fear of a local serial killer. This segment drops the supernatural for a grounded, grim story that many found just plain diabolical and repellent for its taboo subject matter. While some appreciate its stark realism, others call it the weakest part of the film.

The final segment is “Home Haunt,” from directors Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman. Here, a dad’s super elaborate backyard haunt comes to life after he plays a cursed vinyl record, unleashing actual ghouls on his neighbours. The short is a fun, nostalgic, and bloody monster mash, and it even has a cool cameo from effects legend Rick Baker! It’s an explosive and spirited finale that really captures what this franchise does best.

So, what’s the final verdict on V/H/S/Halloween? Honestly, it’s a solid entry. It’s still a bit uneven, but having that single Halloween theme really helps pull it all together. While it doesn’t quite reach the highs of franchise standouts like V/H/S/2, it’s a much more consistent and enjoyable watch than some of the weaker sequels.

What was your favourite segment in V/H/S/Halloween? Drop your own rankings in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this review, don’t forget to hit that like button and subscribe for more horror breakdowns.

Movie Rating:

V/H/S/Halloween trailer