Grave Encounters is a nostalgic film for me. It’s something I still hold close to my heart. It’s the movie that made my love of horror stick. I was eight when it came out, and I adored it from the start, to the point that I was watching it on repeat.

Looking back on it now, Grave Encounters was made to be the kind of film that builds a cult following over time. Though some critics might sneer at the film, some things can not be denied:  chilling locations, a solid set of jump scares, and memorable moments. For its time, it had a decent impact on internet horror. Some of its scares were even featured on YouTube, with people believing they were real paranormal activty caught on camera. It became iconic in that weird way where no one even realised it came from this movie series. The plot follows a group of paranormal investigators filming their latest episode inside an abandoned asylum.

Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson) plays the host, an irritating man with an obvious ego, along with his crew: Sasha Parker (Ashleigh Gryzko), Matt White (Juan Riedinger), and T.C. Gibson (Merwin Mondesir). As filming begins, they become trapped inside, and the building reveals unimaginable horrors.

In my opinion, the asylum itself feels like an entity, like it's alive, and they've been swallowed by it. Hallways shift, rooms vanish, and no matter how hard they try, they can’t escape. Looking back now, it reminds me a lot of something like The Backrooms, a popular internet horror concept that’s since spawned countless videos, games, and stories.

Grave Encounters might not be the greatest horror film ever made, but it belongs in my top 50 movies of all time, alongside its sequel. It left a significant mark on my life and had a meaningful influence on internet horror culture, even if it was just a small dent. That being said, I highly recommend giving this film a chance. Don’t go in with high expectations; this is a found footage film, and the quality resonates with that. But it’s far more original than most of what we get today. I’d take more low-budget films with unique plots and creative ideas over the dozens of generic horror copies we see now.

Director(s)

Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz, The Vicious Brothers

Top Cast

Ben Wilkinson, Sean Rogerson, Ashleigh Gryzko, Merwin Mondesir

Currently, you are able to watch "Grave Encounters" streaming on ARROW or for free with ads on The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home Free, Pluto TV. It is also possible to rent "Grave Encounters" on Amazon Video, Fandango At Home online and to download it on Amazon Video, Fandango At Home