undertone

The Undertone

2025

Ian Tuason

Nina Kiri, Kristen Holden-Ried, Michelle Duquet, Keana Bastidas ...

Thriller. Horror

Thriller. Horror

Kiri stars as the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When she receives audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story mirrors her own. Each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape.

	Media	Author	Review
		Siddhant Adlakha Variety	"[A] film [that] is initially terrifying thanks to its undercurrent of pulsing grief, rendered with subtlety and sleight of hand, [and] a notable arrival [for Tuason] in the world of independent tech horror"
		Chase Hutchinson The Wrap	"A triumph of sound design and slow-burn filmmaking [that] makes a podcast seem profoundly chilling"
		Richard Lawson The Hollywood Reporter	"Another Glum, Gimmicky Horror Film Helps Itself to the ‘Hereditary’ Playbook (...) if I hear one more tongue click or throat rattle coming from down a dark hallway, I might finally scream."
		Nikki Baughan Screendaily	"Exceptional sound design and a superb central performance from The Handmaid’s tale star Nina Kiri, who is almost entirely alone on screen, mean the film casts a compelling spell"
		Pete Hammond Deadline	"It leaves much to the imagination rather than pounding you into submission with the cliches we expect. It is creepy as hell, but it lives in reality and travels in soundscapes that tell us more with our eyes closed than open"
		Joe Lipsett Bloody Disgusting	" I can’t remember the last time a movie made every hair on my body stand up, but 'The Undertone' got me good. (...) Rating: ★★★★½ (out of 5)"
		Christian Zilko IndieWire	"[It] can’t live up to its clever premise (...) [It] is [not] likely to be remembered as a great movie in and of itself"
		Karina Adelgaard Heaven of Horror	"Based on the plot, I wasn’t sure what to expect of it, but I was definitely pleased with what I got. Or rather, I was on the edge of my seat and often horrified. (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Mary Beth McAndrews Dread Central	"Thanks to incredible sound design and a stellar lead, Tuason is able to execute a deeply unsettling horror experience that treads familiar ground but still manages to surprise you. (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Nick Schager The Daily Beast	"The year’s first great horror movie is here [and] knows that silence can be deadly"

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