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Ben Wilkinson, Sean Rogerson, Juan Riedinger, Merwin Mondesir, Ashleigh Gryzko ... see more see more... , Mackenzie Gray , Arthur Corber , Shawn MacDonald , Michele Cummins , Luis Javier , Kenny Sandivol

Lance Preston and the crew of "Grave Encounters", a ghost-hunting reality television show, are shooting an episode inside the abandoned Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, where unexplained phenomena ha... read more read more...s been reported for years. All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building for the night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera. They quickly realize that the building is more than just haunted - it is alive - and it has no intention of ever letting them leave. They find themselves lost in a labyrinth maze of endless hallways and corridors, terrorized by the ghosts of the former patients. -- (C) Official Site

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49% liked it

2,705 ratings

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50% liked it

8 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: The Vicious Brothers, Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz

Release Date: August 19, 2011

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DVD Release Date: November 7, 2011

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Flixster Reviews (454)

  • blkbomb
    March 9, 2012
    blkbomb
    Lance: This place is about as haunted as a sock drawer. 

    "They were searching for proof... they found it"

    Grave Encounters is a rather gimmicky horror film. More so than the average found footage horror film. With that I said, I can say that I enjoyed it. It was a fun little mo... read morevie that used its predecessors like Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity for material. 

    I really liked the tongue in cheek parody beginning of the movie. Grave Encounters is the name of the ghost hunting tv show that goes investigating an insane asylum. The Vicious Brothers throw a lot of great little jokes into the beginning and really make it fun for anyone who has sat through a Ghost Hunters tv show. Then the ghost hunters go inside the asylum for what they believe will be another easy and uneventful night of taping. For awhile, that is all they think it is. Then things begin to change and soon they come to see that the paranormal is all too real.

    I really enjoyed the first hour of this film, but it definitely began to drag in that last half hour. That last half hour was when it began to get extremely gimmicky too. While the first part focused more on atmosphere and little movements caught on camera; the last part decided to show the ridiculous. The ghosts looked terrible and some of the other jump scares I won't mention left a lot to be desired. The Vicious Brothers must not believe, like the makers of Blair Witch, that its scarier when some stuff is left to the viewers own mind.

    Still, this is a lot better than you would first expect. I liked the premise, I liked the humor, and I liked the cast. All in all, it's worth a look just to see a parody of those godawful ghost television shows.
  • stuartb1234
    November 4, 2011
    stuartb1234
    Good scary movie, creepy setting and decent enough effects. Is much better than the Paranormal Activity movies... something actually happens in this often.
  • fb573220345
    October 28, 2011
    fb573220345
    Had no idea what to expect from this movie, I honestly don't know how I got past the first 15 minutes, and to be honest, I am so glad I stuck with it. The poor acting and cheesy intro to the film really made me want to switch it off, but It was all part of their plan to pull off ... read morea reenactment of a Ghost Hunter TV Show... Pretty Lame.. But after their show gets crashed, My eyes lit up with excitement until the very end. Watching this movie alone in the dark at midnight really made me feel freaky, It defiantly has vibes from Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, Blair Witch and The House on Haunted Hill, but pulls it off really well. Thank You for the movie, I highly recommend it.
  • ryguy4738
    February 23, 2012
    ryguy4738
    *** out of ****

    "Grave Encounters" is like the love child of "The Blair Witch Project" and "REC". No, there aren't any zombies - or "infected, if you will - as in the latter, but like both aforementioned films, this one utilizes the Found Footage stylistic; with handheld camer... read moreawork galore. If you're not a fan of this movement in the horror genre, walk away. Walk away and keep on walking. I say this because "Grave Encounters" does not intend to try and do anything new in regards to the conventions created within its genre; which isn't really much of a complaint by me, given that it has a purpose to serve, and the film serves it well. This isn't great found footage horror, but by my standards, it's pretty good. It blends humor and satisfying scares to create a hell of a ride. It could have - and perhaps should have - been slightly better and more discreet about how it scares the audience, but hey, it is what it is.

    Five crew members on a reality television show devoted to the investigation of the paranormal - the fictional Grave Encounters - pick an old, run down, and abandoned mental institution to film the 6th episode for their series. Members of the crew include: host Lance, cameraman T.C., techy Matt, psychic Houston, and expert on the supernatural, Sasha. After conducting some interviews with people who know the wide and expansive premises very well; they make an agreement with the caretaker for him to lock them in the building for the night, until six o'clock exactly, when he will release them. During that time, it's assumed that they will capture some damn good footage for the show.

    The crew unpacks their supplies, sets up the night-vision cameras, sets up the ones that they shall bring with them everywhere, and assume their individual positions. Initially, they split up and visit some of the hotspots that the caretaker had pointed out to them when he gave the group a tour earlier on that day. The assumption is that there really are no ghosts in this facility, and the crew will have to make their own evidence, just as they have for all five other episodes. We go into the movie knowing that all footage is fake (the trailer itself shows an obvious CGI shot); and that the characters within the film know that their show is faux as well. But the found footage aspect is supposed to imitate and create some sort of impending realism; and here, that's just what it does.

    Nothing happens for a while. These characters walk through the dark halls of the ward, searching for activity, sounds; anything. Eventually, doors start slamming, windows start opening, and voices are heard on the EP recordings when they are successfully played back on the machine. Even then, the crew members don't know whether to take their findings seriously, and they even assume that it might be someone who is aware of what they intend to do that night in this place; trying to mess with them, pull some pranks, or whatnot. But, I would imagine that all three of those things and beyond would be eliminated when chairs are lifted in mid-air and ghostly girls stand against the wall - only to turn around and rear their ugly, pale, demonic special effects faces.

    I'll admit that the film does show a bit too much; and therefore it's hardly ever as frightening as it may want to be. But if you can put that aside, and maybe some other noticeable flaws in the characters and the illogical things that they do and say, you might just find that "Grave Encounters" is a pretty enjoyable horror flick. Indeed, I was pretty scared when I was watching it; the found footage style rendered the footage raw, tense, and creepy. The suspense has range - it can build slowly and smartly, while other times, the movie would rather just cut to the chase - and the scares do too (I guess), even though most of them are designed for the faint of heart and the genuinely jumpy. But these are fun, well-conceived scares; and this is a fun, well-conceived movie. It's probably one of the high points in 2011's year of horror.

    Unless you're too cynical to be entertained by an interesting, engaging spin on the found footage gimmick, I'd highly suggest this film to anyone who simply wants to be creeped out big time for about an hour and a half. If it is something more that you desire, then you might want to think twice about spending a night with the Grave Encounters team; although the horror-faithful shouldn't have those complaints when they walk in. I've grown to accept the found footage sub-genre because on many levels, it either agrees with me or it doesn't; if it does, then there's a strong indication that some talented people are behind it. "Grave Encounters" was directed by the Vicious Brothers; who are, as far as I know, currently unidentified as far as their identity goes. One wonders whether they'll ever show up, take credit for the impressive work that they've done here, and make another movie. I also wonder how much fun the editor for Grave Encounters, the show, had when it came to censoring all the profanity either uttered or screamed. Because there are just certain things that the cable broadcasting fat cats don't tolerate.
  • John2223
    September 18, 2011
    John2223
    The acting was really good, every actor played their part well, no complaints. The premise is good and definitely a twist on the "found footage" genre and starts very engaging and creepy with some good jumping, HOWEVER, in the mid second part and mainly in the third, the movie dr... read moreags and turns repetitive and boring.
    With 20 or 15 minutes less from its running time, "Grave Encounters" would be a good movie in the genre but sadly it is not.
  • moviefan1725
    August 29, 2011
    moviefan1725
    Ok, let's get one thing straight right off the bat. There's nothing original going on here. Ever since The Blair Witch Project pioneered the "you are there", mockumentary style horror movie, we have been made well aware of the formula. Possible strange goings on. Video camera cat... read moreches something that the people don't see. Strange noises. Things move on their own. Things slowly build until the characters are, literally, running for their lives. The checklist here is complete. But for some reason I can't quite fathom, it works.

    The movie is basically a "what if" to all those paranormal hunting shows like "Ghost Hunters". What if, while investigating supposed hauntings, you really did find something? Not only do you find something, but it comes after you. That's the premise here as the crew of a paranormal investigation show becomes trapped inside an abandoned mental hospital with the evil forces that reside there.

    There's your plot.

    The characters are made more interesting due to the fact that they are shown to be phonies. They don't believe in this stuff. They're making a television show. They aren't beyond falsifing "evidence" or even bribing people to say they've seen ghosts. They put on the facades of being expert ghost hunters, but when they find that it's real, and they become to hunted, to say they are unprepared is a massive understatement.

    The movie benefits from making the absolute most of its surroundings, and creates a very creepy atmosphere. With the point of view camera footage, of course you're always on the lookout for something to move, or come at you. The beauty is, there are quite a few times when something happens when you seriously don't expect it.

    Paranormal Activity took this formula to the bank, but I'll be so bold to say that this little film is superior to that overhyped blockbuster. I was never engaged by anything that happened in Paranormal Activity, and was bored to tears by Paranormal Activity 2. As such, this movie shouldn't work on me, but it does.

    Of course, not everything works. The beginning of the movie does drag slightly, some of the scares can be seen coming a mile away, and some of the actors...well let's just say some more lessons wouldn't hurt. But still, the movie is damn sight better than the majority of horror movies today, and ranks as one of the better mockumentary horror movies.

    Maybe it's the setting, or seeing the pretentious characters brought down by forces they scoffed at in the beginning. Best enjoyed on a Friday night with a group of friends, and especially with girls that are easily frightened. If you know what I mean, and I think you do.
  • allanm112
    April 29, 2012
    allanm112
    I was very suprised with Grave Encounters, I was expecting another cheesy POV ghost hunting movie with horrible acting and a lame plot. But Grave Encounters is a lot better than what I was expecting, I mean it was a little cheesy and the acting wasn't great but it did a great job... read more setting the viewer up with subtle scares, creepy effects and an interesting story that will keep you entertained the entire time.
  • justybear96
    April 2, 2012
    justybear96
    C+

    This movie was better than i expected it to be. I was scared a few times. The acting was what ruined the movie for me, i mean it was still pretty good but could have been better.
  • danielsloyan1
    March 14, 2012
    danielsloyan1
    pretty decent found footage horror flick, its the locale that's the main reason for its success, i think abandoned asylums are creepy as hell, and this one is no exception, just looking at the place was creepy, the acting is pretty good, tho TC got to be real annoying, some genui... read morene scares to be sure, tho i kept expecting it to go to the next level, or go beyond the types of scares present for most of the film, still its worth watching
  • brighamster
    February 9, 2012
    brighamster
    Found footage - good job on adding some creepy. Some parts too slow and mundane. Totally suitable for children.

View All Grave Encounters Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeannette Catsoulis
September 8, 2011
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

The filmmakers seem unaware that they're beating a dead horse. As the uniformly annoying characters stumble around, screaming and cursing, we don't give a hoot for their survival. Full Review

Aaron Hillis
September 6, 2011
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

True terror needs at least some authenticity. That's perhaps too much to ask of a faked movie about a faked reality show that still can't scare up a fresh idea. Full Review

Dennis Harvey
May 25, 2011
Dennis Harvey, Variety

The pic's creepiness factor is sufficient to rate this a notch above genre average. Full Review

Ken McIntyre
April 10, 2012
Ken McIntyre, Total Film

Despite its meagre budget, Grave Encounters boasts surprisingly solid acting, vertigo-baiting hand-held camera antics and enough [REC]- style shock-horror to keep your pulse throbbing throughout. Full Review

Ethan Alter
September 13, 2011
Ethan Alter, Television Without Pity

Offers some decent scares once you get past the somewhat labored set-up. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
September 5, 2011
Scott Weinberg, FEARnet

"Found footage horror" is here to stay, so let's concentrate on simply separating the good ones from the bad. Full Review

Nick Schager
September 4, 2011
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Grave Encounters can't even pretend to be anything other than hopelessly derivative. Full Review

Ron Wilkinson
July 11, 2011
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics

A ghost of a different color turns the gurneys on a hip TV production. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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    • T.C. Gibson: Apology accepted. Apology accepted.
    • T.C. Gibson: It means we're F**ked.
    • Sasha Parker: What if this is something real?
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