You Can Now Hear the Horrors of UNDERTONE at Home

A24’s sonically driven film undertone has finally found its way to home viewing, releasing today on VOD. And while I considered it one of the most unsettling films I had seen in a long time, its release saw it suffer the same fate as Longlegs, another recent horror release with heightened expectations. Especially when it’s being peddled around as the “scariest film of the year”. But as we all should know by now, fear is subjective, and I’ll defend this experimental film in any way I can for the craft behind it.

undertone follows Evie (Nina Kiri), a young woman caring for her dying mother, who, at this stage, is no longer responsive. Trapped in her childhood home alone, she escapes every week as she records a paranormal podcast with her friend Justin (Adam DiMarco).

While Justin fully believes in the supernatural, Evie does not — making for a fun dynamic on their show. Recently, Justin was sent an anonymous email containing ten audio recordings, which make for a great episode. But as they listen, they become increasingly more disturbing, turning their episode into a horrifying manifestation.

The film is much more than your typical supernatural horror, as its sound design is what really carries it. As it builds up, it delivers these terrifying sound bites that have you fearing what you could potentially hear. And what transpires on the tapes is more frightening than anything appears visually on screen, by design. And that’s amplified by the isolation of taking place at a single location, which also requires director Ian Tuason to get creative.

There’s something about the very delicate camera work that provides a suffocating and chilling experience. As the camera slowly pans throughout the home and lingers on certain spots, your mind begins to wander, and you feel so unnerved by what could appear.

It also has an extremely intimate cast, which adds to that isolating fear. Evie is the only character we see on screen — aside from her mother, who’s not exactly active. We only hear Justin through their calls, but we never see him on screen. This leaves a lot on the shoulders of actress Nina Kiri, who does deliver a truly compelling performance. I enjoyed seeing her character shift from this very fearless skeptic to someone more paranoid as the horrors intensify.

I also really enjoyed the ways in which the story ties back to motherhood in a variety of ways. Most obvious in Evie’s relationship with her mother and how her religious upbringing led her to rebel. And especially how the film slowly reveals aspects of their dynamic, though, I did crave more visuals from their past to connect that further. That would be my only main issue with the film, its characters, and the lore.

And while undertone has a somewhat simple, slow-burn premise, it makes the most out of its small budget and simplified approach to create a tight 90-minute story. Learning how it was actually filmed in Tuason’s own childhood home, where he had to care for his ailing parents, made me appreciate the story he created out of that experience even more. It’s so meticulous and well-executed that a month later, I am still thinking about it. We plead for original horror, and this is that. I think the ending can be hit or miss for some, but there’s an ambiguity that I personally love.

undertone is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more!