“Her song of seduction can be impossible to resist!”
Back in 2012, during the peak of found footage horror, an interesting entry was unleashed in the form of a film simply titled V/H/S. A horror anthology of several short films enveloped within a wrap around plot, V/H/S went on to spawn 2 sequels and has become a cult favorite among found footage horror fans. One of the stand-out segments of this film is the supernatural thriller called “Amateur Night”. To the delight of fans of this popular short, a full length spin-off was released in 2016 called SiREN. Written by David Bruckner (writer and director of “Amateur Night”) and directed by Gregg Bishop (V/H/S : Viral – Dante the Great), the film is quickly gaining a strong following in the underground horror world.
THE PLOT
The film follows groom-to-be Jonah (Chase Williamson) accompanied by his friends Rand (Hayes Mercure), Elliott (Randy McDowell), and his brother Mac (Michael Aaron Milligan). Being the best man, Mac decides to give his little brother the best bachelor party he can and promises a night of fun, drinking, and strippers. Once they arrive at the strip club, it doesn’t seem as exciting as hoped, and the fun quickly turns into boredom. A fellow patron informs them of an underground club that is much more entertaining and unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Intrigued, the group decides to follow him to a remote location and come upon a huge mansion full of beautiful women and all the alcohol they can handle.
As the entertainment begins, they are introduced to the mysterious owner of the club named Mr. Nyx (Justin Welborn). He promises to give the guys all the fun they want, especially Jonah…but for a price! Mr. Nyx leads Jonah into a back room for his own personal experience with his “favorite” entertainer. The woman in question is his most prized possession named Lily (Hannah Fierman). Confused and intoxicated, Jonah realizes that she seems to be a prisoner, and he decides that the “right” thing to do is to try and free her. Little does he know, Mr. Nyx has her locked in the room for a reason…she isn’t quite what she seems! What started out as a fun guys’ night out has now become a seemingly hopeless fight for survival…for everyone!
SHOULD YOU SEE IT?
I loved the V/H/S series, and “Amateur Night” is one of my favorite segments by far! What’s great about SiREN is that it elaborates on the story and answers a few questions that we still had after watching the short. One big difference between the two is that “Amateur Night” is presented as a found footage film, whereas SiREN is not.
The opening scene of SiREN is a great setup for what’s to come, and once the action starts, it never lets up! Full of creepy and tense moments, and just enough squirm-inducing violence, it is sure to please most horror fans. All the characters have their shining moments, but the highlight is the great performance by Hannah Fierman as the seductive Lily.
Although not necessary, I would recommend that you check out the V/H/S short prior to watching SiREN in order to appreciate this film even more. After viewing this little gem of a flick, you just may think twice about approaching a quiet beauty in a club…especially if she utters those three little words… “I like you!”
