A24’s latest horror release, Undertone, marks the feature debut of writer-director Ian Tuason. The film takes a stripped-down approach to terror, relying on sound design and atmosphere rather than gore or jump scares.
A Minimalist Setup
The story follows Evy Babic (Nina Kiri), a 30-something woman living with her dying, comatose mother (Michèle Duquet). The entire film unfolds inside their two-story home. At night, Evy records her paranormal podcast with co-host Justin (Adam DiMarco’s voice), diving into eerie topics while her mother lies upstairs. Tuason builds tension through sound rather than visuals. The tick of a clock, the whistle of a kettle, or sudden audio spikes become the film’s primary tools of fear. Rated R for language rather than violence, Undertone proves that horror can be unsettling without bloodshed.
The Podcast Twist
The plot thickens when Evy and Justin receive mysterious audio files from an anonymous sender. The recordings feature a couple experimenting with sleep-talking, which escalates into chilling nursery rhymes and unsettling revelations. The audience experiences the horror aurally, mirroring Evy’s vulnerability as she listens alone in the dark. Tuason cleverly explores “audio pareidolia,” the phenomenon of hearing patterns or words in random sounds. As Evy and Justin play recordings backward, their interpretations become ours, blurring the line between reality and imagination.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The film’s first half is gripping, with Kiri delivering a strong performance as the isolated protagonist. The minimalist approach heightens suspense, making viewers feel as though danger lurks just beyond the headphones. However, the second half falters. Tuason piles on genre clichés—Catholic imagery, creaky doors, flickering lights—that dilute the earlier subtlety. Evy’s pregnancy subplot and religious undertones add layers but distract from the film’s strongest element: its sound-driven horror.
Final Verdict
Undertone is both an accomplishment and a frustration. Its innovative use of audio makes it stand out in the horror genre, but its reliance on traditional tropes undermines its originality. Still, Tuason emerges as a filmmaker to watch, and Kiri’s performance anchors the film with emotional depth. The film opens in theaters Thursday, running 94 minutes, and is rated R for language. It earns two and a half stars out of four.
