‘Undertone’ trailer
The trailer for A24’s “Undertone,” starring Nina Kiri and Adam DiMarco. Written and directed by Ian Tuason.
It’s amazing how important sound is to horror. Abrupt sounds are responsible for at least 90% of all movie scares. Look it up – actually, no. There is no research to support this, but it is true. Just believe me.
Watch a horror movie on mute – you probably won’t jump in your seat once. Relive the famous shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’. The sight of Norman Bates’ silhouette with the knife is certainly no comfort, but it is Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score – the screeching violins – that has terrified film lovers for generations.
Not many horror films rely specifically on the art of sound as a storytelling tool, which puts A24’s “Undertone” in a unique league.
Evy (Nina Kiri) is the co-host of “The Undertone Podcast,” which explores listener-submitted paranormal material with a skeptical head on her shoulders, as her co-host Justin (Adam DiMarco) is a believer. They record the podcast at 3 a.m. since Justin lives in London, while Evy cares for her dying mother “Mama” (Michèle Duquet), who has just entered home hospice care. It is important to note that Evy and her mother are the only characters seen on screen throughout the entire film; you will only hear from Justin by telephone.
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Nina Kiri stars as Evy in A24’s horror film ‘Undertone’. (Dustin Rabin; Court)
For their latest episode, Justin shows Evy that they received an email from an anonymous listener with a strange cryptic message and ten audio files. These are recordings of Mike and Jessa (Jeff Yung and Keana Lyn Bastidas), a couple expecting their first child.
The first recordings seem quite innocent: Mike wanted to prove to Jessa that she talks in her sleep. However, the further Evy and Justin delve into the recordings, the more disturbing things become as they investigate what Jessa is mumbling. They eventually discover that the couple is being haunted by the mythical Abyzou, a female demon known to be jealous of mothers and curse her victims with miscarriages and the death of their children.
And just like watching the cursed videotape in “The Ring,” Abyzou’s ghost begins to haunt Evy and her mother.
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Michèle Duquet as mom in A24’s horror film ‘Undertone’. (Courtesy of A24)
Kiri, best known for her role in the TV series ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, does a lot of the heavy lifting as she is virtually the only active character we see (her bedridden mother is unconscious) and the entire film takes place in the confines of her mother’s house. She’s basically a one-woman show. DiMarco, the newcomer from the Italian season of ‘The White Lotus’ and more recently Prime Video’s raunchy comedy series ‘Overcompensating’, manages to give a heartfelt performance as Evy’s support system using just his voice.
The real star, however, is the sound design.
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Nina Kiri stars as Evy in A24’s horror film ‘Undertone’. (Dustin Rabin; courtesy of A24)
The attention to detail in every sound you hear – from the eerie audio recordings to what Evy hears in the house – is nothing short of outstanding. So kudos to the entire sound department. Justin’s character says it best when he closes each podcast with “Don’t be afraid of the dark, be afraid of the silence.” That said, cinematographer Graham Beasley’s eerie camerawork is also a strong supporting performer in its own right.
In making his feature debut, writer/director Ian Tuason managed to effectively create a compelling film with self-imposed narrative limitations. Only time will tell if it’s beginner’s luck, but Tuason has cemented himself as a filmmaker to keep an eye on the future.
A24, once an arthouse film distributor that has become increasingly mainstream, often takes bold risks, especially with horror films: “The Witch,” “Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” “Talk to Me,” and so on. What’s tragic is that ‘Undertone’ probably isn’t on many people’s radar because it doesn’t have A-listers and a huge budget like the recent blockbuster ‘Scream 7’, even though ‘Undertone’ delivers genuine scares.
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Nina Kiri stars as Evy in A24’s horror film ‘Undertone’. (Dustin Rabin; courtesy of A24)
The verdict
“Undertone” is a disturbing slow burn that focuses on the sheer craft of filmmaking. This is a film you not only want to see but also hear, so if you can see it in the cinema with Dolby Atmos like I did, I would highly recommend it. Horror fans
★★★ ½ — WATCH IT NOW
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