The "found footage" genre is a mixed bag of love and hate... geniuses and fools. I loved Grave Encounters. It had some sparks of genius. BUT this is Grave Encounters 2... and I wished it never existed.
The first half drags along - limping - and tries to set up some character and plot development. Sadly, there is nothing to develop other than a close-up of projectile vomit (seriously). As far as characters go, there's a vain stoner, a brooding filmmaker-to-be, a wannabe starlet, and two other characters I know absolutely nothing about. Plot-wise, I have a feeling the directors were just trying to add some unnecessary length to their shamble of a film. Just get to the asylum already! The film does pick up in pace, plot, and interest once the characters FINALLY do reach the asylum. The use of glow sticks as "breadcrumbs" and air horns to keep from getting separated and lost was pretty ingenious. Probably the two smartest things that crossed their minds in the entire film. As for the scares, they hit hard and fast this time as the group explores the old haunts from the first movie and new areas such as the children's ward. It's effective at first, but then the tension dissipates as scare after scare pops out. We get it. The place is haunted and cursed.
The greatest misstep of this movie has got to be its last half. It was so unbelievable, so... dumb. It was a complete insult to what the first film had built. Floating cameras? A red door? A black hole in a wall? What?
The first half drags along - limping - and tries to set up some character and plot development. Sadly, there is nothing to develop other than a close-up of projectile vomit (seriously). As far as characters go, there's a vain stoner, a brooding filmmaker-to-be, a wannabe starlet, and two other characters I know absolutely nothing about. Plot-wise, I have a feeling the directors were just trying to add some unnecessary length to their shamble of a film. Just get to the asylum already! The film does pick up in pace, plot, and interest once the characters FINALLY do reach the asylum. The use of glow sticks as "breadcrumbs" and air horns to keep from getting separated and lost was pretty ingenious. Probably the two smartest things that crossed their minds in the entire film. As for the scares, they hit hard and fast this time as the group explores the old haunts from the first movie and new areas such as the children's ward. It's effective at first, but then the tension dissipates as scare after scare pops out. We get it. The place is haunted and cursed.
The greatest misstep of this movie has got to be its last half. It was so unbelievable, so... dumb. It was a complete insult to what the first film had built. Floating cameras? A red door? A black hole in a wall? What?