PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Paul Gandersmans’ Man Finds Tape had me a bit fooled. In the age of found footage, I didn’t get what I was expecting, and that’s not a bad thing at all. I love found footage, but it does get pretty redundant, because it’s such an easy storyline, and it hides behind reality. Man Finds Tape is a mix of story and creepy footage, providing a story beyond people visiting a haunted house.
Let’s get into the review.
Synopsis
After finding mysterious video clips, siblings investigate the strange recordings and uncover a disturbing secret spreading through their Texas town.
The Rundown
Man Finds Tape is a standalone film in the eyes of new age horror, because it presents itself in raw form. The film is pure chaos melted into a catchy story. The thing about Man Finds Tape is that you can see yourself in this story, and fantasy waits to present itself in the last 20 minutes. Normally, I despise movies that do this; however, the story kept me glued to my screen. You don’t feel as if you are watching a movie about someone finding tapes, because it isn’t the entire goal.
Man Finds Tape hides in dimly lit rooms and a gloomy tone even in the sunshine. You want to figure out the story for yourself through the entire film. There is no possible way to do this because the film can do zero to sixty in a matter of moments, pulling you along and even making our skin crawl in certain moments. I felt myself entrapped with wanting to follow the little clues that led to chaos. The buildup was very subtle; I wasn’t expecting the film to blow my mind. You won’t be prepared for the final answer.
The only issue I found was that I do wish there were movie videos involved, but I still felt a strong sense of survival. I could also relate to the characters, which is another rare occurrence for me. The film, though it’s kind of a slow burn, has so much going on at once. It is the good kind of stress while you figure out just what’s going on. The film has a strong X Files feel to it, almost as if it is a salute to the greatest mystery show of all time. The experience was rather nostalgic and reminds me of the days staying awake with the TV volume down, like SYFY before it got bizarre.
In The End
In the end, I enjoyed this film a lot. From the well-thought-out storyline to the unforgettable endings, one of the best I have seen in a while. It surprises you, and it comes out of nowhere, almost as if you are a puppet the movie controls. The film plays with your mind in pretty extensive ways, and I enjoyed that a lot. Not quite a found footage film, and not quite a horror film, Man Finds Tape is in its own bubble, and I have a feeling that bubble is about to take flight. I would love to see more of this.
Check it out in select theaters and on demand December 5th.
