V/H/S/2 2013

In Tape 49, we follow two private investigators, Larry and Ayesha, as they delve into the mysterious disappearance of a young male college student. Upon entering the student’s house, they stumble across an impressive collection of television sets, VHS tapes, and a laptop recording video footage in real time. Curiosity piques as they pause the recording and rewind to the beginning, revealing the boy’s perplexing thoughts about the strange tapes he possesses.

Larry begins his investigation of the house while instructing Ayesha to start watching the tapes. The first tape they view, titled Phase I Clinical Trials, raises doubts in Ayesha about its authenticity. The student warns that the tapes must be watched in the proper order “to affect you.” Eager to explore further, Ayesha views another tape, A Ride in the Park, but soon finds herself feeling unwell, ultimately drifting into a restless sleep marked by a nosebleed. Upon awakening, she complains of a terrible migraine and asks Larry to fetch her medicine. But as soon as he leaves, Ayesha watches yet another tape, Safe Haven.

When Larry returns, he is greeted by a horrifying scene: Ayesha lies lifeless, a chilling VHS tape labeled “WATCH” smeared with lipstick next to her. Confused and deeply troubled, he watches this tape, Slumber Party Alien Abduction, and uncovers the chilling truth captured on the student’s laptop recording. The boy discusses how the tapes manipulate the mind before dramatically taking his own life with a revolver. In a shocking twist, after a moment of stillness, the boy’s corpse seems to come to life, dragging a disfigured lower jaw as he escapes the room.

In a horrifying confrontation, Ayesha revives in a grotesque undead form, attacking Larry and forcing him into a fight for survival. He ultimately manages to break her neck, but the mayhem continues as he flees with the camera, only to encounter the undead college student, culminating in a grim finale where Larry meets his own demise.

Phase I Clinical Trials reveals a different horror: a patient grappling with visions after a severe accident. In an experimental setting, a doctor monitors the patient through a camera installed in his eye. The strange occurrences escalate when the man feels a presence in his home, escalating to a terrifying confrontation that reveals the fragility of sanity and reality.

As the story unfolds into A Ride in the Park, we experience a frenetic ride through a zombie apocalypse via a GoPro attached to a cyclist’s helmet. His attempt to help a bloodied woman sparks a catastrophic chain of events ripe with horror and gore.

Safe Haven takes us to the depths of a sinister cult in Indonesia where terrifying rituals unfold, leading to demonic births and a chaos that leaves only one man standing against a backdrop of chilling consequences.

Lastly, Slumber Party Alien Abduction captures the whimsical yet terrifying antics of a group of boys, their dog, and a sleepover that turns into an extraterrestrial nightmare involving fatal encounters with beings known as “greys.” As fear grips the group, their attempts to escape result in tragic losses and the haunting imagery of the unknown.

Throughout these interconnected narratives, themes of horror take a visceral shape, creating a tapestry of fear that leaves viewers questioning what lies beyond the realm of reality.