The Best Found Footage Horror Movie You've Never Seen Turned 15 This Year

One of the most underappreciated found footage horror movies of all time just turned 15 this year. The found footage style of horror filmmaking has been a fairly divisive yet inventive trend for the genre. Beginning with 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust, this style of film didn’t quite gain mainstream appeal until 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.

Found footage didn’t really boom until 2009, though, with the wide release of Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity. Suddenly, Hollywood began to release countless found footage films to appeal to the new demand for this type of horror. Movies like The Last Exorcism, Unfriended, and As Above So Below became huge hits at the box office because audiences couldn’t get enough of them.

Today, the found footage trend has ultimately died down. While there are still found footage movies released today, including the V/H/S franchise, they’re nowhere near as in-demand as they were in the early 2010s.

Because of the massive influx of found footage films at that time though, there were many genuinely great films buried underneath a large supply of movies that released at the same time. Films like The Bay and Sacrament gained more appeal from fans after the dust of the found footage boom had settled.

One forgotten movie stands above the rest though as the best of the found footage style. Originally released at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2011, the Vicious Brothers’ Grave Encounters has become a cult classic that deserves far more attention than it has now.

Grave Encounters Turns Ghost Hunter Shows On Their Head In The Best Way

The premise of Grave Encounters is absolutely genius. It follows a group of ghost hunters as they explore an abandoned asylum for their show. Made up of a crew of five — including camera people, a psychic, and the show’s host, Lance Preston — they suddenly find themselves way over their heads as they become trapped in the asylum’s walls with the spirits lurking within.

The best thing about Grave Encounters is how the film was shot. It feels like one of the many ghost hunting shows that were popular at the time, like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters. The characters put their personalities on full display when the cameras are rolling, but they occasionally slip into who they really are with the security cameras watching each room.

For instance, the “psychic” turns out to be nothing more than an actor, following a script. Meanwhile, Lance is entirely self-absorbed, wanting to stay longer to get footage for his show until it’s too late. This film is a total satire of these types of shows, and that’s what gives it such an appealing identity.

Grave Encounters’ Take On Claustrophobic Horror Makes It Horrifying, Even Today

When it comes to horror itself, Grave Encounters thrives on making its audience feel claustrophobic and trapped. Midway through the film, much to Lance’s chagrin, the team decides to leave the asylum. However, when they open the door, they find the exit is gone, replaced by another hallway leading into the asylum.

The way this film preys on the feeling of hopelessness is enough to terrify the audience, as well as the film’s characters. It’s a horrific idea to show that the exit no longer leads outside, and the only way to truly escape is to jump from a third floor window to your death. Plus, with ghosts becoming more active as the night goes on, there’s never-ending scares lurking around every corner.

Grave Encounters does a phenomenal job amplifying just how horrifying isolation can be. The thought of never being able to leave a location is scary on its own. The ghosts only add icing to the cake with their creative designs and scares.

Where You Can Stream Grave Encounters

Lance Preston and his Crew in Grave Encounters

The great news for those wanting to watch Grave Encounters is that it’s available to stream on countless free streaming services. The film can currently be watched on YouTube, Tubi, PlutoTV, The Roku Channel, Fandango At Home, and Plex with no paid subscription needed. Of course, the film will be accompanied by ads, but it’s a small price to pay to check out this phenomenal horror film.

Grave Encounters can also be rented on Amazon Prime Video and Google Play Movies for a bargain at $2.99 USD each. This is a great alternative for those that want to watch the film completely uninterrupted by ads.

No matter how you watch it though, Grave Encounters is a film that absolutely deserves more recognition than it has. It’s currently a cult classic, but this film is so inventive that it deserves far more attention. Grave Encounters is undeniably one of the greatest found footage horror movies ever made, and at 15 years old, it’s still as terrifying today as it was in 2011.