Undertone (2026)
Directed by: Ian Tuason
Premise: A podcast host (Nina Kiri) investigates a series of mysterious recordings that supposedly document a demonic possession and tends to her invalid mother (Michèle Duquet). The content of the recordings begins to manifest around the house.
What Works: Haunted house movies offer filmmakers a chance to be creative with filmmaking tools and to experiment with sound and imagery. Undertone is an extremely well-crafted horror picture. It’s well shot by cinematographer Graham Beasley. Undertone is about what we don’t see; much of the movie is set in dimly lit rooms in which our protagonist is surrounded by darkness. Despite the low lighting, scenes are illuminated in a way that allows us to make out details and follow the action. The sound of Undertone is especially impressive. The lead character spends much of the movie with headphones over her ears and listening to recordings that may document a demonic possession. The filmmakers mix the sounds in ways that are creepy and effective. Undertone will probably be best viewed in a theater or in a home set up with a surround sound audio system. The sound and visuals create a superbly creepy atmosphere. Successful haunted house movies create the impression that we’re threatened by some unseen presence and that feeling is vivid throughout Undertone. The film’s cinematic qualities are especially impressive given that a lot of Undertone consists of a person sitting in the dark in front of a computer. Also praiseworthy is the performance by Nina Kiri as the podcaster. As an actor, Kiri has very little to work with. The only other on-screen character is her mother who is bedridden and catatonic. Kiri carries the movie and she conveys a growing sense of grief and fear.
What Doesn’t: The story and themes of Undertone never quite come together. Kiri’s character is a skeptic whose role on the podcast is to debunk the supernatural and she and her cohost (voice of Adam DiMarco) are investigating an alleged possession. The investigation doesn’t really go anywhere and this woman’s transformation from skeptic to believer doesn’t have any meaningful moments. The podcast story alternates with Kiri’s character caring for her ailing mother. There are a lot of potentially interesting ideas in the mother-daughter story. The mother is Catholic but the daughter is a skeptic and there is some unresolved business between them. It’s implied that the mother’s ailing health might tie into the supernatural mystery of the podcast but the ending is inconclusive.
Bottom Line: Undertone succeeds as a technical exercise and director Ian Tuason is a promising talent. The story is underwhelming but Undertone is successfully scary.
Episode: #1092 (March 29, 2026)