By Simon Thompson
Director/co-writer Markian Tarasiuk and writer Sean Harris Oliver’s Hunting Matthew Nichols is a well-made but middle of the pack piece of found footage horror, that after a relatively promising start failed to grab me. Speaking subjectively, I have a largely irritable relationship with found footage filmmaking because of market over saturation in a post Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity world. With that in mind, Hunting Matthew Nichols was already on shakier ground than the San Andreas Fault – but while not being as lazy as some other films in this sub genre it doesn’t really do anything to stand out from the crowd either.
Set in rural Canada, the movie tells the story of Tara (Miranda MacDougall) a young documentary filmmaker investigating the mysterious disappearance of her brother Matthew twenty three years ago. As she starts to collect evidence surrounding her brother’s disappearance, Tara comes to the conclusion that Matthew might still be alive somewhere. Beginning to dig deeper and deeper, Tara discovers that Matthew’s disappearance is far stranger than she could have imagined.
For a first time director Tarasiuk has a high level of technical skill. His shots are clear and in focus, he also has an ability to present extensive information in an engaging way that doesn’t interrupt the overall flow of the narrative. Cinematographer Justin Sebastian fully brings out the beauty of the movie’s rural Canadian setting, with an array of landscape shots and wide angles which form a picturesque backdrop to the story.
Miranda MacDougall gives a competent performance in the leading role, portraying Tara’s quiet determination without resorting to extensive scenery chewing.
What lets this movie down is when a more fantastical addition to the plot is introduced in the second half of the story, which, given how grounded the first section is felt both completely out of place tonally and actively undermined what was so interesting about the first half an hour or so in the first place. Hunting Matthew Nichols, would have been a far better movie if they had kept the story as realistic as possible and removed any kind of supernatural mumbo jumbo altogether, as a found footage film without any supernatural mumbo jumbo is about as rare Halley’s Comet. By doing this Tarasiuk and Oliver’s script would have stood out more from the crowd and been a more interesting narrative as a result. Overall, Hunting Matthew Nichols is a technically adept but bang average found footage film, with very little to distinguish it. If you’re on a transatlantic flight and this is one of the few movies they have available onboard then that’s the only instance in which I would say gave this a try.
Hunting Matthew Nichols screened as part of Soho Horror Film Festival 2025.
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