“Man Finds Tape” follows documentarian Lynn Page, who returns to her hometown to investigate footage of haunting events – forcing her to question whether anyone in the town can be trusted.
The film blends found-footage techniques and a mockumentary style.
Strong Foundation Built on Style and Mystery
Utilizing surveillance clips, interview segments and phone calls, “Man Finds Tape” crafts its own unique identity. This mixture allows the horror to feel real rather than fabricated.
“Man Finds Tape” isn’t the only movie to take this approach in 2025. It’s extremely similar to “Strange Harvest,” an August release that blended a serial killer mystery with cosmic horror.
This is the feature debut for Paul Gandersman and Peter Hall. And it’s a bold one at that. With such a creative concept, the movie is bound to be divisive among general audiences. But this bold approach alone deserves applause.
Amid the initial mystery, “Man Finds Tape” finds success. It blends the various styles together and executes a suspenseful setup.
This only lasts for so long, however.
Once “Man Finds Tape” begins to provide answers, it starts to unravel. When the found-footage scenarios take over, there aren’t enough questions remaining to make the tense moments land. This leads to a cacophony of intersecting storylines that don’t have enough punch.
This causes the film to drag at times, even at only 84 minutes long.
“Man Finds Tape” is bold in its finale – almost too much so. This slightly takes away from the small-town, organic chills that made it so compelling in the first place.
Performances Elevate Real-World Feel
Despite its second-half inconsistencies, the cast is able to keep the film afloat. Kelsey Pribilski (Lynn Page), William Magnusson (Lucas Page), John Gholson (Reverend Endicott Carr) and Brian Villalobos (The Stranger) each deliver in their roles.
Pribilski finds success in a variety of ways. Not only is she acting within found-footage confines, but she also provides interview responses, narration and phone-call dialogue. She is forced to slightly change her delivery for each of these requirements and does well.
Gholson is equally impressive. Despite limited screentime, he chews up the scenery with each appearance. His voice menacingly echoes across the silence for an abundance of unsettling moments.
Finale That Reaches For the Unknown
“The monsters of the 21st century feed in broad daylight.”
“Man Finds Tape” is able to tie its central mystery to the world of the unknown. Are aliens real? Does Bigfoot roam the Earth? These questions will likely allow it to connect with genre fans – giving the story a full-circle, large-scale meaning in a world of conspiracies and cover-ups.
There are many unsettling ideas within “Man Finds Tape.” The setup is more compelling than the answers given, but the result remains an ambitious entry in the horror genre.
Rating: 3 out of 5
