Undertone Review: A24’s Haunted Podcast Horror Relies on Sound Over Scares

Undertone is a creepy horror gimmick that does not fully sustain itself.

A24’s newest horror outing, Undertone, is being marketed as a movie where the scares are in the audio rather than the visuals. With a story that’s essentially about a haunted podcast, the gimmick of Undertone does indeed result in some unsettling and eerie moments that really work, but the overall package may leave horror fans wanting a bit more.

A Haunted Podcast Premise Drives the Story

The story of Undertone focuses on Evy (Nina Kiri), the co-host of a popular paranormal podcast, who has returned home to take care of her dying mother. Evy’s podcast co-host, Justin (the voice of Adam DiMarco), is sent an email including a series of increasingly terrifying audio recordings that they choose to interact with on their show. The audio files unleash a surge of terror and paranoia in Evy’s personal life.

The Film’s Best Moments Come Through Sound

The film really hinges on these recordings, and they’re executed quite well. The normal room static disappears as Evy puts on her headphones, and moviegoing audiences are transported to the world of the podcast. While there may not be much happening onscreen during these moments — namely, Evy sitting at a table in her mother’s old home looking frightened — the audio clips are captivating and scary, leaving you searching for things in dark corners and tricking yourself into seeing things that aren’t really there.

It leaves you feeling the paranoia the characters feel, similar to reading a horror book at night and feeling watched by something in the shadows. Writer-director Ian Tuason should be applauded for the success in executing these moments, but the overall story does leave something to be desired.

Traditional Horror Beats Slow the Momentum

The film slows dramatically during the breaks between podcasts, and it’s during these scenes that it turns to more traditional horror tropes. Evy hears a noise and goes to investigate, but typically finds nothing or, in some instances, some creepy religious imagery.

Nina Kiri Carries the Film

Nina Kiri’s Evy is the only character that we actually see speaking on screen, as her mother (portrayed by Michele Duquet) is only seen sleeping with rhythmic breathing. Kiri is impressively able to hoist the movie on her shoulders and gives a convincing solo performance. At times, her doe eyes made me think of scream-queen supreme Jenna Ortega.

Theatrical Audio Is Essential

It’s worth noting that the film is best experienced with great theatrical audio, and in my personal case, we were fortunate enough to be offered a screening with supreme Dolby surround. This amplified the experience greatly, and a bad theatrical audio system could severely limit the experience of the movie.

Verdict

Undertone offers a new, fun horror gimmick that is executed quite well, but the moments in between leave a package that doesn’t live up to its peak moments. Hardcore horror fans will find something fun here, even if they leave feeling overall whelmed.

Undertone is now playing in theaters.

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