I’ll be honest—as anyone could guess just by looking at most reviews, Grave Encounters 2 did not hold up to the original. But to me, it holds a very special place in my heart.

As a massive fan of the first Grave Encounters, I was thrilled that a sequel even happened, especially since the original didn’t perform well with general audiences. It was lucky to get one at all. This movie (and the series as a whole) made a small but noticeable impact on the world of screamers and jump scares, particularly on the internet. A few scenes became iconic, even fooling people into that it was real found footage of ghostly apparitions. 

One scene that always stuck with me as a kid was the humanoid creature coming through the window, as shown on the poster. That terrified me. Even now, it sometimes still gets to me, not because of the initial jump scare, but because of the feeling and imagery it leaves behind. That lingering fear when you're alone at night or passing by a window, with darkness pressing in from outside... I give the film points for that.

That said, I’ll admit I might be biased in my rating of this film. It stars Richard Harmon, who is one of my favourite actors.  Many might know him as John Murphy from The 100, or more recently (as of 2025), as Eric Campbell in the newest Final Destination movie. I was a big fan of his character in Grave Encounters 2. While his acting might not have been Oscar-worthy, I enjoyed the motivation behind his role, his determination to go to the asylum and find Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson), the last surviving member of the original film’s crew.

I’ve seen reviews calling Alex Wright (Harmon) and the rest of the sequel's cast annoying, but that’s part of the point. Just like in the first film, the characters are arrogant, impulsive, and sometimes unlikable, and that adds to the charm. Lance himself is a great example of this. For me, their flaws make them oddly lovable in their own weird way. That said, I won’t pretend this is a flawless film. On rewatch, it can feel incredibly slow, the pacing is off, and it could probably have done with another edit.  But it's a cheesy horror sequel from 2012, and when it comes to sequels, most don't tend to hold up to the original. 

Despite all of that, Grave Encounters 2 sits in my top 50 movies of all time. And you might ask: Why? Why would I put this movie on that list? The answer is simple nostalgia, the vibes, and the small but significant impact it had on internet horror and jump scare culture. The Grave Encounters films are a source of comfort to me, and remain reliable with their jump scares. 

Director(s)

John Poliquin

Top Cast

Richard Harmon, Shawn C. Phillips, Jennica Fulton

How to Watch Grave Encounters 2. Right now, you can watch Grave Encounters 2 on ARROW. You can stream Grave Encounters 2 by renting or purchasing on Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, and Amazon Video. You can stream Grave Encounters 2 for free on Kanopy, Hoopla, and Plex.