REVIEW – Tuason’s feature film debut is bold idea

UNDERTONE is the horror film of the year so far, writes Luis Daly.

This feels like such an incredibly bold, original idea from Ian Tuason, making his feature film debut.

Undertone centres on Evy, who, whilst caring for her dying mother, is the host of a podcast called – you guessed it – Undertone,  where they discuss stories of the supernatural.

During recording an episode, they are sent sound files which they listen and react for the podcast – and as these actions begin occurring in Evy’s life, the madness starts to creep in.

The pacing is methodical and well done, Tuason keeps you on edge building the tension for the best part of half of the movie, giving you short bursts as so to keep the horror going.

Undertone is 90 mins and it earns every second. Also notable is that the film is devoid of jump scares, a smart choice I think and really helps elevate it. They can be good when used effectively but it’s a very fine line to tread.

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Apart from the sound, the cinematography and the blocking used in this film is outstanding. Tuason put a heavy emphasis on using reflections and mirrors.

One particular scene using mirrors disorients you as the audience and makes you feel on edge, to sow those seeds of doubt, and to make us feel the same emotions as Evy as we go on this journey together.

There’s a lot of emphasis on parallels. Whether it’s the cinematography with the mirrors and reflections, to the overlapping items of Evy’s current life with what’s happening when they listen to the voice notes, to even the title credits, where the title fades to just show ‘un’ – two letters that if you put a mirror vertically are parallel.

There’s a lot of dutch tilts, a classic method used to show a change in mental stability or just a characters general frame of mind.  I would say that they can be a bit overdone – there’s at least five used –  but overall still a useful technique.

I love how the movie plants seeds that maybe it is not a supernatural entity that most horror films would have you believe, and does leave breadcrumbs to suggest it is a psychotic breakdown from Evy that we’re slowly unravelling.

I want to end this on the main hook of this film, the sound design. The tagline is ‘the scariest film you’ll ever hear’, and they were right.

It’s outstanding, from the voice notes, children’s nursery rhymes speaking in reverse, it all sends chills up your spine. Whenever Evy puts her headphones on the general noises of the old house disappears and we’re in another world.

A truly incredible horror film by a truly talented filmmaker – Ian Tuason brought something really interesting to the table and knocked it out of the park.

I do get scared at horror films, but shake it off as soon as it’s done. This sat with me for a while after the credits rolled – and that’s the best compliment I think you can give a horror.