Reviews
[REVIEW] Death Awaits In ‘Grave Encounters’ (2011)
Grave Encounters follows a ghost-hunting crew as they embark on a paranormal investigation in the Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital. Led by Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson), he and his team of intrepid investigators, Sasha Parker (Ashleigh Gryzko), T.C. Gibson (Merwin Mondesir), Houston Gray (Mackenzie Gray), and Matt White (Juan Riedinger), take on this supposedly haunted asylum with exuberance and enthusiasm. After resident expert Kenny Sandoval (Bob Rathie) locks them in for the night, things start to get…frightening. Soon, the team finds themselves trapped in this labyrinthian nightmare where time moves at its own accord. Will anyone make it out alive?
October means different things to many people. It’s when the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest, pumpkins line the steps of front porches, leaves turn from shades of green to various oranges and reds, and haunted houses are at their prime. Haunted houses also mean different things to people. For October, we’re taking a look at haunted house films and there really isn’t a better time to do it! From House on Haunted Hill to The Haunting of Bly Manor, countless films and shows explore the idea of manmade haunted houses to the haunted houses that are actually haunted. And you can’t discuss haunted house horror without talking about one of the greatest of all time: Grave Encounters.
A Ghost Hunting Crew Enters Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital
Grave Encounters follows a ghost-hunting crew as they embark on a paranormal investigation in the Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital. Led by Lance Preston (Sean Rogerson), he and his team of intrepid investigators, Sasha Parker (Ashleigh Gryzko), T.C. Gibson (Merwin Mondesir), Houston Gray (Mackenzie Gray), and Matt White (Juan Riedinger), take on this supposedly haunted asylum with exuberance and enthusiasm. After resident expert Kenny Sandoval (Bob Rathie) locks them in for the night, things start to get…frightening. Soon, the team finds themselves trapped in this labyrinthian nightmare where time moves at its own accord. Will anyone make it out alive?
To a lesser extent, Grave Encounters starts with a similar opening to The Fourth Kind, as producer Jerry Hartfield (Benjamin Wilkinson) reveals he received all of these tapes in the mail. “What you’re about to see is not a movie,” Jerry plainly says. This would be easier to believe if there weren’t a few continuity errors, but that’s neither here nor there. Films that tend to go to huge extremes to prove their ‘authenticity’ can really go either way for genre fans. Some people enjoy the ‘based on a true story’ forced perspective, and some get frustrated by it. I could go either way with Jerry’s opening, but I appreciate it for what it is.
Satirizing Ghost Hunting Television Shows
A few things make Grave Encounters work well for me, and very few aspects of the film don’t. As someone who grew up watching Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, and Paranormal State, it almost feels like The Vicious Brothers wrote and directed Grave Encounters just for me. The film starts with the usual talking heads and exposition about the location the team will be exploring, though Grave Encounters takes a shot at some of these ghost hunting shows. Lance talks with groundskeeper Javier Ortega (Luis Javier), who just wants to be left alone to do his work. When Javier doesn’t give Lance the bumper quote Lance wants, he pays Javier to say something intriguing. As much as I love those shows I grew up on, I know there is a level of producer interference and Hollywood-ification to them. I appreciate how this show handles the fraudulent aspect of ghost hunting television, so that when the crap hits the fan, it’s even more impactful.
The Grave Encounters Cast and Their Roles in the Horror
Lance Preston’s crew is fascinating. The Viscous Brothers crafted each character perfectly, giving everyone their own unique take on the events unfolding. T.C. just wants to get back to his family, Matt is Matt, and Sasha is the human conduit for ghost communication. Then you have, who I would consider, the two main players. While he doesn’t have the most screen time, I could argue that Houston is the top-billed supporting character. He’s the psychic who comes to fill in the crew, and us, about the ‘feel’ of the asylum. Houston is an interesting guy, who wears thick glasses and a leather coat, which accentuates his ‘coolness.’ Once the wall breaks, figuratively, and we learn Houston is no more reliable than Javier, he goes from a tough and respectable psychic to nothing more than a badly dressed huckster who is soon to get his just desserts.
Found Footage Horror’s Ultimate Showman
The ghost hunting crew is interesting on their own, but it’s lead investigator Lance Preston who steals the show. His Hot Topic-styled attire and garishly intense acting check all of the boxes for me. He’s Zak Bagans times a thousand. It’s unclear if Lance was always the type to fudge experiences for quality TV, but once he realizes the stakes are life and death, he becomes a true leader. Even if he keeps his air of exaggeration throughout, if you’re not a fan of the Zak Bagans-like character, then Lance Preston will come off as grating and incredibly annoying.
Once the horror starts, it doesn’t stop. The team quickly finds themselves stuck in a neverending loop of terror as they get separated one by one. Doors fly open, people get lifted, hallways change, hallways are blocked off, time is its own entity, and bathtubs of blood suck in unsuspecting investigators. Even if there are a few moments of awful-looking digital enhancements, Grave Encounters takes the ghost hunting television formula and turns it into something truly terrifying.
Why Grave Encounters Remains an October Essential
Since 2012, Grave Encounters has been on my October watchlist, and that won’t end anytime soon. This film came out at the perfect time as Ghost Hunters was well in its prime, and Ghost Adventures was in the process of taking over the ghost hunting television audience. Part parody, part terrifying exploration into what could go wrong, Grave Encounters takes audiences on a wild ride of fright. We can forget the existence of Grave Encounters 2, though. I like to pretend the deleted scenes of Kenny showing up in the morning to find the front door busted open with the gurney overturned out front and [spoiler] being institutionalized is the true ending of this film. And you should too!
It’s very interesting when critics cover Part # of a franchise without having seen the previous entries. I’ve personally seen critics who flat-out say that Part 2 or 3 doesn’t make sense without having seen the previous film. And therein lies the problem: film critics who refuse to admit they haven’t seen EVERYTHING. But does the hard work rely solely on the film critic (or the general viewer)? Should a sequel (or third in a trilogy) drop in heavy context clues for someone who is just now tuning in? I think the answer falls somewhere between those points. Of the many reasons, that is one of the main reasons I was able to enjoy The Barn Part III so much. Let’s dig into it.
Some time ago, Pastor Josh Harper (Courtney Gains) assumed he had rid the world of evil. He was dead wrong. Well, hopefully just wrong. His nephew Kyle (Tristan Olsen) and friend Megan (Amanda Byrne) accidentally re-unleash the evil; Josh must attempt to vanquish it. Again. There’s just one big problem…the Fall Festival is going on, and damn near the entire town will be in attendance. What can go wrong?
Can You Review PT. 3 Without Seeing PTS. 1&2?
Before we really get into it, I think we should jump back to the point I was making in the intro. I have seen tons of posts, screenshots, and scenes from The Barn franchise over the years. For some reason, I’ve never gotten around to seeing the films. So there was a sort of internal struggle when deciding whether or not to cover The Barn Part III. Would I watch it just for fun? What if I didn’t like it? Sure, I could review the film on its own merits, disregarding moments that don’t make sense to a first-time viewer. But that felt disingenuous. After writing a weighty pros and cons list, I figured, what the hell. Let’s give it a watch! It turns out that was the right decision.
Co-writers Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger do an excellent job of balancing fan service and, surprisingly, first-time viewers. There are definitely moments where I felt a bit lost, though I was able to put the pieces together based on context clues after sitting with the film for a few hours. By the time the credits rolled, I felt like I saw enough (as a first time viewing of the franchise) to understand how we got to this point in the franchise. Moreover, it made me more motivated than ever to go back and watch the first two films. If The Barn Part III is this gory, then I can only assume there’s a similar level of gore to the first two.
Strong Script, Stronger Kills
Hershberger and Seamen tell a tale that’s not overwhelmingly original; evil is raised and must be stopped by the good people. It’s a race against the clock, fast-paced creature feature/slasher. It’s hard to really reinvent the wheel there. And somehow, Herhshberger and Seamen manage to make you feel like you haven’t really seen anything like it before. Even during moments of slightly cheesy dialogue, the script’s tone stays beyond consistent that it just all feels right. To me, that feels very rare in this subgenre of film. Rather than being nothing but conduits for buckets of blood, the characters in The Barn Part III exist within their story purpose while still feeling fully fleshed out.
Much of The Barn Part III’s enjoyment comes from the delightful performances of the film’s lead cast. Courtney Gains takes the reins from Will Stout as Josh Harper, and Gains is wonderfully charming. Much of his screen time is shared with Night of the Comet’s Kelli Maroney, who is still an absolute blast to watch on the screen. But it’s one of The Barn Part III’s co-leads, Amanda Byrne, who steals the show. It’s hard to believe this film is Byrne’s debut feature acting role. She really gives it her all, and you can feel it through the screen.
The Barn Part III Is a Practical Effect Gorefest
Enough edging. Let’s get into the actual meat and potatoes of The Barn Part III: the kills. Simply put, Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger struck gold. I’ve seen way too many slasher films/creature features, so this isn’t hyperbolic…The Barn Part III has some of the most insane, captivating, and bloody kills I’ve seen. Especially for an indie film. Whatever the budget was, the film looks like it was more expensive than that.
I have a feeling that there is a heavy crossover between fans of this franchise and Joe Bob Briggs, so let me put it to you this way. The Barn Part III has it all: bisections, dissections, full-body degloving, mini killer pumpkins, pitchfork-fu, shotgun-fu, vine-fu…and that’s just scratching the surface. Besides transporting me to a time and place that I hold dear to my heart, the late 90s and early aughts, this film just checked every single box for me. I can only hope the first two do the same.
The Barn Part III is a violent, practical effects-filled rollercoaster that doesn’t let off the brakes from the jump. To me, this feels like the proper send-off to a franchise I’m new to, and it’s giving me severe FOMO. Full of insane kills and a charming main cast, The Barn Part III is neck and neck for best of the fest for me. Do yourself a favor, gas up your tractor and get to The Barn as soon as possible.
Among the straight up schlock horror movies of 2026, Onslaught tactical breaches in and holds the perimeter as the top dog. Despite being hailed by fans and cast alike as a spiritual successor to Wingard’s 2014 cult classic The Guest, the similarities are skin deep. This low-budget action horror film feels much sleazier, goofier, and more melodramatic than anything that feature had to offer. But if you like to drink the B-movie bottom shelf liquors of the cinema world, Onslaught has that taste you’re going to love getting genre drunk on.
What Is Onslaught (2026) About?
Out in the New Mexico desert, an abandoned military base now houses even darker secrets. Inside a government contractor black site, the sinister Nazi mad scientist Dr. Hans Kammler (Dan Stevens) works to perfect a trio of heartless, mindless, and soulless soldiers. They feel no pain and take no prisoners, and that’s how Kammler likes them.
When the project inevitably breaches containment, as all mad science experiments are wont to do, a small trailer park called the Windy Oasis ends up on their southbound warpath. The on-site manager for the park, a traumatized veteran named Celeste (Adria Arjona), is soon forced to defend her young daughter and surviving neighbors from the ruthless revenants.
If You’re Expecting Something Serious, Expect Less
Dan Stevens’ returning collaboration with Wingard and writer Simon Barrett is basically the full extent of what this movie shares with The Guest. Outside of the deranged super-soldier premise, of course. His first appearance on screen immediately proves that; Stevens comes in hot wearing some of the messiest fake old man hair and makeup of all time, before crawling on all fours like a dog to indulge in his heel fetish with his domineering wife (played in a small supporting role by Rebecca Hall).
It’s a flashing neon sign from the outset that the film is taking itself only somewhat seriously. And if you approach it with the utmost seriousness, you’re probably going to have a bad time.
Onslaught’s Nihilistic & Stylistic Composition Doesn’t Have Time for Contemplation
Despite its premise being about literally conscienceless jackbooted thugs killing the civilian population of the country they’re supposed to be defending, not much thematically comes of it. Onslaught is oddly flat, bordering on one dimensional, in trying to make any sort of thoughtful dialogue or commentary about our current or even past state of affairs as a nation.
The film is frontloaded with as much as you’re going to get out of it: an opening credit sequence that is the anti-government, anti-military equivalent of those overstimulating “Little Dark Age” edits that loser right-wing groypers love. It speedruns the American government’s brutality throughout the past 75 years and juxtaposes it with the Third Reich over the course of a roughly 3-minute song. Sadly, we need the rest of the runtime for gratuitous action involving bullets, boobs, and chainsaw blades. It just can’t be helped.
The movie doesn’t particularly have time for good dialogue, strong character development, or flashy sets either. Onslaught is simple and honest in its approach; it’s the kind of nasty, mean-spirited, action grime that even Cannon Films would have seen as a bit much to produce back in the day. It takes place in a handful of locations, with as few extras as possible, and a lot of explosive squibs and gory kills to make up for its flawed performances. It’s got time to bleed, sure, but no time to bleed deeper meaning or substance.
Wingard’s Toy Box Is Chock Full of Carpenter Inspiration and Retro Vibes
One must imagine Wingard happy playing in this realm. The film is certainly a success on his part in terms of bringing those retro vibes and simplistic storytelling beats to the present day. It really does feel like a bloody, small budget video store pick that snuck its way onto the shelf of a Blockbuster sometime in the ‘90s, even if its modern photography betrays that big clamshell case energy.
Surgically implanted into the film are visuals and musical stylings whose bloodlines trace plainly to Carpenter’s filmography; Assault on Precinct 13, Vampires, and The Fog are the loudest, though certainly not the only parties present. How well those strains of genuine brilliance mesh with the cheaper sensibilities of the film is certainly in question. At its best, it has shots and scenes genuinely evocative of the greatest films of the era Wingard and Barrett are conjuring. At its worst, it’s basically screaming “we shot too much footage of these soldiers mogging and aura farming to not put it in the film”, leaving things clunky to transition and sometimes looking silly.
Onslaught Is a Messy Little Midnight Movie in the Making
Then again, silly is the best thing this could be. Maybe I just give it too much grace for the fun I had with it. Onslaught might be guilty of a few cinema war crimes, not the least of which is a truly grating performance from its comedic support character. But it’s never boring, and it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. Beloved midnight movie with mass appeal in the making? Perhaps a bit unpolished and messy for that status. But an instant classic among those who love seedy action movies? Much more likely.
