A24's new horror release, Undertone, promises a terrifying tale of mysterious recordings that send shockwaves through a group of horror podcasters. However, beneath its creepy atmosphere, the film relies too heavily on familiar tropes from other horror classics, leaving audiences feeling like they've seen it all before.
Writer-director Ian Tuason's debut feature is notable for its resourcefulness, as he expertly utilizes a low budget to create an unsettling atmosphere. Shot in one house, with most of the sinister events confined to audio footage, the film keeps viewers on edge. Lead actress Nina Kiri shines as Eva, a vulnerable protagonist navigating her way through a complex web of emotions and terrifying occurrences.
As Eva delves deeper into the mysterious recordings, she becomes increasingly entangled in a world of creepy tales and demonic entities. While Tuason's script initially shows promise, it gradually becomes muddled and predictable, relying on tired horror clichés to keep viewers hooked. The film's climax, a chaotic and exhausting attempt at creating tension, ultimately falls flat.
Ultimately, Undertone feels more like a showcase for writer-director Ian Tuason's potential than a fully realized horror story. While his debut is effective in generating a sense of unease, it fails to deliver on its promise of terror. As such, fans of the genre may find themselves left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed by this disappointing release.
Despite its flaws, Undertone remains an intriguing example of how resourcefulness can overcome budgetary constraints. With a reported seven-figure deal secured by A24, Tuason's future prospects look promising. However, for now, fans of horror will need to settle for a more satisfying experience elsewhere.
Writer-director Ian Tuason's debut feature is notable for its resourcefulness, as he expertly utilizes a low budget to create an unsettling atmosphere. Shot in one house, with most of the sinister events confined to audio footage, the film keeps viewers on edge. Lead actress Nina Kiri shines as Eva, a vulnerable protagonist navigating her way through a complex web of emotions and terrifying occurrences.
As Eva delves deeper into the mysterious recordings, she becomes increasingly entangled in a world of creepy tales and demonic entities. While Tuason's script initially shows promise, it gradually becomes muddled and predictable, relying on tired horror clichés to keep viewers hooked. The film's climax, a chaotic and exhausting attempt at creating tension, ultimately falls flat.
Ultimately, Undertone feels more like a showcase for writer-director Ian Tuason's potential than a fully realized horror story. While his debut is effective in generating a sense of unease, it fails to deliver on its promise of terror. As such, fans of the genre may find themselves left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed by this disappointing release.
Despite its flaws, Undertone remains an intriguing example of how resourcefulness can overcome budgetary constraints. With a reported seven-figure deal secured by A24, Tuason's future prospects look promising. However, for now, fans of horror will need to settle for a more satisfying experience elsewhere.
. Don't get me wrong, Nina Kiri's performance as Eva is on point and that one house setting? Super creepy! But for me, the film's reliance on familiar tropes kinda made it feel like a rehash of other horror flicks. And yeah, Ian Tuason's budget resourcefulness is straight fire 
, but I wish he'd taken more risks with his script. It was like he was playing it too safe? Maybe I'm just not used to seeing horror done this way... or maybe I've just seen too many good horror movies 
I don't know about this Undertone business... it sounds like they took every cliche from other horror movies and mashed them all together into one film 
I'm all for low budget creativity, but when does that mean sacrificing actual plot development? 
. Don't get me wrong, Ian Tuason's got skills - that low-budget setup really added to the tension 
. Nina Kiri is also super talented as Eva... but dude, the script just got too convoluted for its own good 
. They tried to pack in too many creepy plot twists and it all fell apart 
. I'd say Undertone's more of a "oh no, this guy's got potential" kind of deal rather than a full-on horror masterpiece 
, but it was hard to get fully invested when the plot started getting all muddled 
.
, but even she couldn't save this movie from its predictable moments 
. As it stands, though, I'll be waiting for the next one 
Undertone tries to be all things to all people but ends up being just okay. A24's low budget resourcefulness pays off in terms of atmosphere, but the script just can't quite get there. Nina Kiri shines as Eva, that much is for sure. Maybe this one will learn from its own mistakes and grow into something scarier next time around... 
. And Nina Kiri's performance? Superb! She really brings this whole "vulnerable protagonist" vibe to life 
. But yeah, maybe it relies a tad too much on familiar tropes... but honestly, I think that just makes it more accessible and entertaining for fans of the genre 
. And let's not forget, A24's got some serious resources behind this thing, which is always gonna shine through in terms of production quality 
. Still, it's defo a flawed film, but can we really expect a horror movie to be perfect? 
. i mean, a low budget can actually work in your favor if you use it smartly, but here it just feels like they're using it as an excuse to skimp on production quality. Nina Kiri's performance is decent, but even she can't save this mess from becoming predictable and exhausting 
.
, Undertone feels like a total rehash of every other creepy horror movie out there...like, I get it, low budget can be resourceful and all that jazz 
Nina Kiri's acting is on point tho 
, she definitely holds the whole film together. But seriously, who thought "demonic entities" was a good idea 
? And don't even get me started on the ending... it just felt like they ran out of ideas 
. Overall, I'm gonna have to say this one's a skippable horror flick for me 
And Nina Kiri's performance was amazing, I loved her character Eva, she's so relatable 
But overall, I just didn't get the scares I was expecting... maybe A24 will give Ian Tuason another chance? 
i mean don't get me wrong, i loved the creepy atmosphere and nina kiri's performance was on point 
but like the plot got so convoluted and predictable 
still, it was super interesting to see how writer-director ian tuason made the most of his low budget 
! The idea of mysterious recordings that send shockwaves through a group of podcasters sounds so cool! 
But honestly, it felt like they were rehashing old tropes from other horror classics 
. Overall, it felt like more of an intro for writer-director Ian Tuason than a fully realized horror story 
. Maybe with some more editing and a tighter script, this could've been something else entirely 
undertone is still super creepy and I loved the way it built up that tension! yeah i get what the reviewer means about the script getting muddled but for me it was all part of the charm 
don't even get me started on the audio footage - it's like they're speaking straight to your soul 
maybe i'm just a sucker for horror movies but undertone might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's definitely worth watching if you're a fan of the genre 
like they took every horror movie from the past 20 years and mashed them all together into one big mess 
and Ian Tuason's low-budget magic is definitely a win in my book