SummaryThe host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
Directed By:Ian Tuason
Written By:Ian Tuason
undertone
Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
User score
Mixed or Average
5.5
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
63% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
38% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jan 29, 2026
88
Some will argue that all of the themes of “undertone” don’t connect, but that’s a feature, not a bug. This is a film that doesn’t feel the need to explain itself. Nightmares rarely do.
Mar 12, 2026
80
It’s a properly scary movie, the kind that merits watching in a theater with a good sound system (or headphones in a dark room, at home). And “Undertone” provides terrific evidence of what a filmmaker can do even under constraint. The most powerful tool in an artist’s toolbox just might be the audience’s imagination.
User score
Mixed or Average
5.5
38% Positive
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
40% Mixed
26 Ratings
26 Ratings
22% Negative
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
Apr 19, 2026
10
After watching horror movies of varying brow levels near nightly the past year, I have lost all feeling and nerve like an arm riddled with holes. undertone made me breathlessly, death rattlingly alive again. The experience is akin to being strapped to VR horror experience except the headset is glued on. Or being a spirit forced to inhabit Evy's tired, trembling body. Those with control issues will hate this movie, and this explains the mixed reviews. They will forever fail to understand that the destruction of logic and narrative (deliberately, antagonizingly, and for the dopamine addicted, imperceptibly designed in this movie) is the most horrific human experience of all. Lastly, why doesn't Metacritic allow entering words into a new paragraph? Why unilaterally impose a one-paragraph world order?
May 15, 2026
9
Another example of ‘less is more’. If this story works, it’s because it relies on an unseen threat, and as a viewer you feel drawn into the atmosphere the characters are in. It’s certainly worth giving it a go.
Jan 30, 2026
75
After masterfully plotting the slow build of dread, the climax feels rushed and derivative of other, better horror movies. Yet moments in the climax do succeed; the explanation for that banging-on-pipes sound is unnerving.
Mar 12, 2026
67
A testament to the adage that a good filmmaker can make anything out of nothing, Undertone should go in your playlist now.
Jan 26, 2026
60
Although it eventually leans into traditional genre hallmarks, its introductory musings are novel, taking the form of a one-woman performance showcase that makes ingenious use of visual and auditory negative space.
Mar 10, 2026
50
Perhaps it's fitting that a horror film set around a podcast flits in and out of being engaging, since that's more or less the experience of listening to one, but it doesn't exactly make for a cohesive viewing experience.
Jan 29, 2026
40
There’s a swirl of creepy noises in A24’s new hyped-up horror Undertone – screaming, gargling, singing, banging – but nothing is quite loud enough to drown out the swirl of films it’s cribbing from.
Apr 19, 2026
9
Genuinely loved this movie. The atmosphere, acting, dialogue, tension kept me gripped throughout. I have been waiting for a movie that could keep me unnerved and tense and this ticked the box. It definitely wouldn't work for dopamine addicted 6 sec social media reel audiences. They should stick to vertical micro stories.
May 17, 2026
6
There's something undeniably unsettling about ‘Undertone’. Of course, contextualizing children's songs in horror films is nothing new, nor is exploring how eerie they can sound when played in reverse; however, director and screenwriter Ian Tuason found a way to revalue the concept, at least to some extent, with his debut feature. Focusing entirely on sound and off-screen space, his work offers a dose of analog horror whose tools are its greatest appeal. Unfortunately, despite an interesting commentary on Catholic upbringing and the guilt that stems from it, the film ultimately delivers a cliched story that culminates in a sequence that could easily have been pulled from the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise.
Apr 23, 2026
6
Undertone sustains an ominous atmosphere and creepy mood more than it develops a compelling story. As the only physically present speaking actor, Nina Kiri effectively carries the film. Undertone feels like an over-stretched short film. As a 90-minute feature, it eventually becomes plodding and repetitive. The effectively chilling aesthetic isn't quite enough to compensate for the protracted, underdeveloped story.
Mar 24, 2026
2
Genuinely one of the worst horror movies I've ever seen in a theater -- almost completely worthless. Has absolutely no clue how to build tension and an absolutely garbage ending. Total contempt for an audience, just a grab bag of poorly-executed versions of far better movies.
Production Company:
- Black Fawn Films
- Slaterverse Pictures
Release Date:Mar 13, 2026
Duration:1 h 33 m
Rating:R
Tagline:It wants to be heard.
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