UNDERTONE is a 2026 supernatural horror thriller film written and directed by Ian Tuason, in his directorial debut.
A podcast host covering spooky content moves in to care for her dying mother. When sent recordings of a pregnant couple's paranormal encounters, she discovers their story parallels hers, each tape pushing her toward madness.
The cast includes Nina Kiri, Kris Holden-Ried, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidasand, Sarah Beaudin, Seled Calderon, and Adam DiMarco.
UNDERTONE made its debut in theaters March 13th, courtesy of A24.
I absolutely love horror movies, and as I have gotten older I am always in search of that movie that can truly scare me. Now I’m not talking about jump scares, I’m talking about actual chills. For me a movie is genuinely scary when I get chills down my spine and can hardly move. It is such a strange sensation but somehow something I continue to crave. With that being said, horror movies in general are incredibly subjective. What I find truly scary another person may find stupid, and vice versa. As a kid I was scared to death of the Child’s Play films to the point where my older brother would chase me around the video store with the case and I would run for dear life. Good times. I also vividly recall being traumatized by the original Pet Sematary film. Needless to say I didn’t have much supervision as a kid.
Now as an adult I would say that I have become very desensitized to horror in general to the point where not much bothers me, but as I was saying I still crave those chills. In my adult life one of my most vivid memories when it comes to a horror film genuinely scaring me is the original Paranormal Activity film back in 2007. I remember experiencing chills down my entire body during this film, and what a unique experience it was seeing it opening night and not knowing what to expect. I still remember sitting in my car in the parking lot and being startled by the door of the car next to me shutting. I lived alone at the time and I remember thinking if I wake up at 3:00 AM I am going to lose my mind. Now that is what horror is all about, a film that impacts you in such a way that it stays with you after leaving the theater. This is a rare experience for sure, which brings me to the latest horror film UNDERTONE, which hit theaters with a ton if hype behind it.
Right out of the gate I will say that UNDERTONE is a very good horror film, and it did manage to give me chills. It was really well executed with an interesting and genuinely creepy premise, some super creative and effective camera work, and score/sound design that absolutely demands the theater experience. If you have any interest in seeing this film and enjoying it, you need to see it in theaters, and if possible a theater with Dolby Digital sound. When the main character puts on her headphones it is like the audience is putting on the headphones too which is a cool aspect to the film, but to take full advantage of that viewers need to hear all of these sounds that seem to come from all over. Plus if you see the film in a theater with lesser quality sound, or if you decide munch on your popcorn a bit too loudly, you will without a doubt miss some things that will impact the effect the film has on you.
UNDERTONE is very much a slow burn style horror film, but this is part of what makes it so good. I mentioned the original Paranormal Activity film and in some ways this reminds me of that. The film has a very somber tone from the start and sort of slowly builds to the more shocking parts of the film that gave me chills, but I had to be patient. Plus, UNDERTONE utilizes a shooting style with a sort of offset camera angle, so if the main character is at her desk she is sort of to the right of the screen so you are constantly watching to see if something is going to happen in other parts of the room. Plus at times the camera will actually move around the home giving viewers the feel that they are sort of experiencing things first hand which was a nice touch.
As far as what makes UNDERTONE scary it is all the little things. The sound, the way the camera moves, the progression of the situation with the main characters mother, and lastly the main part of the story involving the random recordings that are sent to her podcast. The recordings get increasingly more terrifying, and the subject matter is incredibly creepy as it dives into a dark side of children’s nursery rhymes. The vulnerability of the main character as she listens to these recordings is a big part of what makes UNDERTONE work so well, and viewers can feel her level of fear increasing. I actually really liked the final act of the film which also reminded me of Paranormal Activity as it sort of hits you like a freight train.
UNDERTONE is a really good horror film and I have no issue whatsoever recommending it, but I also think the style and uniqueness of the film may not be for everyone. If you are distracted or whispering to someone sitting next to you the film just won’t hit the same. Plus if you are someone that prefers jump scare style horror films this really isn’t for you. Plus UNDERTONE won’t satisfy people looking for the blood and gore found in most horror films. It is more concerned with a deeper type of fear that is built up over the course of the film, and if it is unable to pull you in during that journey, it will be a lost cause.
I know that UNDERTONE is getting hailed as the scariest movie you’ll ever see (or hear) etc, and I don’t think that is at all the craziest opinion to have, but I can for sure see audiences being split on how they interpret the film. This is very much elevated horror, a term made popular around 2010 that describes a more artsy, high-concept style horror film focusing on focusing on psychological depth, metaphors, and thematic substance over traditional jump scares and gore. Now admittedly I pulled the definition from the internet, but that is 100% how I perceive the term elevated horror, and it makes me think of films like It Follows, The Babadook, and several others. Some people will absolutely love UNDERTONE, and some may say it is horrible and not scary at all, but that is just the horror genre for you.
THE VERDICT
A chilling slow-burn horror film utilizing effective camera techniques and a genuinely creepy original story, UNDERTONE hits hard but absolutely demands the theater experience with high-quality sound. As I talked about as good as this film is it still may not be for everyone, but if you are a horror fan go in with an open mind and lock in because UNDERTONE delivers if you give it a chance.
TED TAKES RATING - 7.9/10
UNDERTONE is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.