A Symphony of Silence and Dread: How "Undertone" Reimagines Horror Through Sound
The Echoes of Grief: A Podcaster's Descent into Isolation
At the core of Ian Tuason’s inaugural cinematic work, “Undertone,” lies a profound sense of solitude. This audio-focused horror narrative introduces us to Evy Babic, a podcast host haunted by personal sorrow as she attends to her ailing mother. The film immediately captivates with its unsettling atmosphere, skillfully crafted from the interplay of sound and absence, reflecting the director’s personal journey through similar familial loss. Despite its eventual foray into established horror conventions, the early segments distinguish themselves with a singular portrayal of a woman confronting her internal struggles, employing sound and visual emptiness to profound effect.
The Power of Auditory Perception: A New Dimension of Fear
Sound emerges as an indispensable narrative device in Tuason's creation. The film commences with a disquieting children's melody, punctuated by the arduous breathing of a life nearing its end, encapsulating the cyclical nature of existence even before Evy, portrayed by Nina Kiri, enters the scene. As Evy patiently witnesses her comatose mother's final moments, a scenario drawn from the director's own experiences, her childhood home in Toronto becomes the stage for late-night podcast recordings. Here, she collaborates with her London-based co-host, Justin (Adam DiMarco), whose voice is a constant, unseen presence.
Urban Legends and Personal Anxieties: The Intertwined Narratives
In “Undertone,” the concept of presence transcends the physical, drawing heavily on expert sound engineering and hints of the supernatural, eventually leading to demonic manifestations. Evy and Justin’s podcast, also titled “The Undertone,” delves into urban folklore. Their current focus is a collection of peculiar audio files featuring a husband and his sleep-talking spouse, submitted anonymously. These recordings subtly begin to mirror Evy’s escalating anxieties, transforming into an auditory form of found footage that blurs the lines between reality and the unsettling.
Skepticism Challenged: The Quest for Meaning in Sound
The dynamic between Evy and Justin on their podcast positions Justin as a staunch believer and Evy as a skeptic, a stance increasingly undermined by her domestic tribulations. While at her mother’s bedside, Evy frequently seeks answers, seemingly regretting her detachment from religious faith (a theme underscored by the Christian symbols adorning their home). In her state of insomnia, she meticulously examines audio recordings and nursery rhymes, even playing them backward, in a desperate attempt to uncover hidden messages.
A Visual and Auditory Tapestry of Isolation
When Evy retreats to her dimly lit living room to record, the act of donning noise-cancelling headphones dramatically alters the film's auditory texture, isolating her image. As the conversations with Justin and the unsettling recordings dominate the soundtrack, Tuason’s camera often lingers on close-ups or wide shots of Evy, inviting the viewer's gaze to wander across the frame. Cinematographer Graham Beasley masterfully employs light, shadow, and stillness, subtly directing attention between Evy and her shadowy environment.
The Perils of Predictability: When Novelty Fades
At times, as the recordings intensify in their disturbing nature, gradual camera movements and mysterious sounds from the staircase, along with inexplicably illuminated bedroom lights, heighten suspense. The creeping silence and encroaching shadows compel viewers to ponder Evy’s well-being, especially as she succumbs to alcohol to cope with stress. However, the repetitive application of these suspense-building techniques eventually loses its edge. The frequent occurrence of spooky events without Evy’s acknowledgment, or the reliance on dream sequences and abrupt cuts to black, can test the audience’s patience.
From Subtlety to Stereotype: The Film's Evolving Horror
There's a fine line between genuine fright and mere jump scares, and while “Undertone” initially leans into the former—its horrors are rooted in the realistic and unsettling confrontation with mortality—it progressively relies on the latter. The film’s initial promise, built on its unique setting and aesthetic, eventually gives way to clichés common in the genre: from eerie child-like drawings to montages of occult research and the introduction of an ancient demonic entity. The film excels when it explores spiritual and emotional enigmas under the veil of night, particularly through Kiri’s raw and introspective portrayal. The emotional depth of the narrative is far more impactful when unburdened by cheap scares, which tend to obscure the universal theme of confronting inevitable horrors.
A Promising Voice in Independent Horror
The shift from profound drama, executed with such precise audio-visual mastery, unfortunately deflates the film’s atmosphere, as its technical prowess becomes channeled into familiar tropes. Nevertheless, Tuason demonstrates a nuanced understanding of tone, marking a significant entry into the independent tech horror genre, irrespective of the film’s ultimate direction. At the very least, “Undertone” hints at a future filled with even more compelling cinematic endeavors from its creator.