Grave Encounters

   

     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 have been reported for years. On a quest to expose the truth and scare their viewers, the Grave Encounters crew conducts background interviews with current psychologists, as well as provides disturbing archival footage of patients in the earlier half of the century. All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building over night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera.

Now going into this movie I knew it was one of those found footage films. To start I am a sucker for these types of films. It just adds a realism to them, but in a time where $10,000 can make you millions in doing these types of films; everyone is doing them. There are some good ones out there and also a lot of  bad ones. These directors; The Vicious Brothers just made one right. As the writers and directors of the film, The Vicious Brothers shook up the American Express Founding Partner, Tribecca Films in the early year of 2011. If you are looking for a movie with screams and sheer terror, this is the movie for you. I first was amazed of  the concept of the film. I am a big fan of the “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Adventures” and always wondered what would happen if things just go so terribly wrong. Well, this movie does it. I know what your thinking, “Well Jason, why don’t they just leave the haunted hospital; it’s just that easy….right?” Wrong, I say…..Dead Wrong. In “Grave Encounters” there is no easy way out. Without spoiling the film, there is a surprise, as well as many other surprises throughout this movie. My eyes stayed open just to see what was around the next corner. The actors did an excellent job in making the audience believe that they were terrified. The visual effect where not bad, but if the directors had a bigger budget, they would have been top of the line. I mean, that’s why I watch these straight to DVD films because they will catch you off guard. You don’t see these types of films in theaters. We all know the difference between B rated films and “in” theater films…………..B rated films push the boundaries. Although “Grave Encounters” is a straight to DVD film, this one should have been in the theaters. Hunt down “Grave Encounters” and watch it. You will not regret the 1 hour and 34 minutes of it.