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26 directors, 26 ways to die. As horror anthology goes, this is the Concorde moment, 26 short films from some of the most twisted horror minds, it’s a brave bold stab at something that may never be repeated.

Thankfully there is no hackneyed attempt to link them with an overarching story, each film just starts and ends with a red screen and a title card. The directors vary in nationality, style and insanity. As with any anthology film, there will always be high and low points. Some were just too weird for my liking (and I have a pretty high tolerance for weird), they are all pretty different and the fact that the ones I didn’t like seemed to me to have similar themes might just reflect my tastes.

It’s always refreshing to see how each director tackles the brief. Some present just a climactic scene from what you imagine as a longer film, some present whole stories in twisted worlds (think The Twilight Zone), others feel almost like bizarre advert skits but without any product, and a couple attempt to make meta-horror. Many have a low budget, Troma-like feel to them (think The Toxic Avenger), there are plenty of nods to classic films and directors, and it’s a truly international undertaking (I don’t think there is a word of English spoken for the first 30 minutes). Clocking in at over two hours it is long, but I found that when it lagged the slack was quickly picked up by another short.

There are plenty of jaw-droppers. The unparalleled Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers) shows the closing scene of a monster film, from the view of the monster. Jake West gives a great chase scene, and I now forgive him for the terrible Danny Dyer vehicle Doghouse. Chilean director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (almost unknown in the UK) gives a nice, tight little time travel film, similar in style to Nacho Vigalondo’s Timecrimes (who directs the first of the anthology). Less well known Timo Tjahjanto, gives one of the weirdest and most vile premises, but actually ends up making one of the most intriguing (it definitely stayed with me the longest).

The best in my opinion comes from Marcel Sarmiento (the mind behind the crowd dividing Deadgirl). The cinematography, pacing and suspense he manages in 5 minutes is better than most full lengths. Other treats (if you can call them that) include French Xavier Gens’ (frontier(s)) gorefest on body image, and the stop-motion fun of Lee Hardcastle (the winner of a competition to send in home-made films).

There are also a few duds. The usually great Ti West (of the spectacularly retro The House of The Devil) gives the laziest and most pathetic entry. Noboru Iguchi gives one entitled Fart, which I definitely could have done without. However he did direct RoboGeisha and Machine Girl, so it’s to be expected. Infamous director Srdjan Spasojevic’s piece (of the un-watchable A Serbian Film) pretty much passed me by. Weird? Yes, violent? Yes. But it just felt like it thought it was being cleverer than it was (much like the detestable A Serbian Film).

As the film nears its end, the most extreme parts appear. W (aptly entitled WTF) is the most acid-trip like, and then Y and Z hit real depravity which for me was too far. Z, from Yoshihiro Nishimura (of Tokyo Gore Police fame, so it’s to be expected) could easily cause offence, although the more easily offended won’t get this far.

I’ve seen mixed reviews for this, and to be honest, it’s the kind of film that is almost pointless to review. If you find it over the top and in poor taste, then what did you really expect? If it’s too scatterbrained and plot-less, then don’t watch a 26 part anthology! It’s like the most twisted YouTube session you will experience, it’s a selection of some of the most idiosyncratic directors trying to outdo each other, and it wears its heart on its sleeve before tearing it up and spiting it in your face. If you are a fan of horror or weird (ideally both), then watch it as it should be, with a group of mates, and your poison of choice. It’s purely a genre piece, and proud of it.

Shown in 26 UK theatres on the 26th April, and currently available online on Video On Demand services.

Shown in 26 UK theatres on the 26th April, and currently available online on Video On Demand services.