Ian Tucson’s ‘undertone’ uses sound and performance in perfect disharmony to craft a terrifying cinematic experience. Our full Sundance review.
Ian Tuason’s feature debutundertoneis a masterclass in tension. It applies restraint in ways that always read like choice and not the result of limited resources. So, it’s no surprise that Tuason was quickly tapped by Blumhouse and Atomic Monster to reboot theParanormal Activity franchise far in advance of A24’s release of the title, which buries its way into audiences’ ears next month. While it’s a bit early to label the Canadian filmmaker a visionary, his creative attention to detail, confidence, and impressive restraint are clear signals of more greatness to come.
Nina Kiri (The Handmaid’s Tale) stars as Evy, the skeptical co-host of paranormal podcast The Undertone alongside true believer Justin (Adam DiMarco). After she returns home to care for her dying mother (Michèle Duquet), the hosts discover a strange email containing eerie audio recordings of a couple plagued by unexplained noises. Evy is practically the only character seen on screen throughout, and the unfolding mystery of the recordings, Evy’s personal life, and the rest of the undertone world is built almost entirely through sound, lighting, production design, and impeccable character work.
It’s important to note upfront that Kiri delivers a phenomenal, star-making performance. So much of this delicate film depends on her every move. She’s in almost every frame, so every one of her small choices is immediately examined under the literal microscope of Tuason’s lens. Within seconds of the film beginning, this feels like a real person. She’s someone we relate to intimately long before the story reveals her deeper context. Tuason and Kiri pull off the near-impossible here, executing a character who could have easily faltered, even in the hands of the most experienced cinema veterans.
Sure, Evy’s objectives will likely be somewhat familiar to genre audiences, but the realism of Kiri’s performance ensures that its drama and horror almost always land with real impact. Her sadness and confusion are never irritating. Instead, it’s deeply relatable. Her choices are never confusing, and you never once find yourself asking why she just doesn’t leave that house. You’re aligned with her. Her heartbreak, her intrigue, and most importantly, her terror. She comes across as a real person, not one we’d know, but as a real facet of our private selves.
Also impressively, and against all odds, undertone manages to deliver the first successful podcast narrative I’ve seen on screen. The podcaster archetype is already worn thin in genre storytelling, with last year’s Sundance premiere Didn’t Die being a prime example of the gimmick outstaying its welcome. Yet this is still the first time the device has been used to its full potential. The way the film structures Evy’s work is pivotal to both the story and the scares. Not to personalize, but as a horror podcaster myself, I went into this film with caution that bordered on pre-determination. Oh, boy, was I wrong to worry. Tuason weaponizes the medium and its soundscapes to create a film that’s both fresh and fine-tuned. In his hands, sound horror is no novelty. Instead, it’s totally necessary.
Sure, at times the film is held back slightly by a touch of predictability and unoriginal horror tropes, such as demonic mythology, spooky kid crayon drawings, and traditional fairy-tale songs. Similarly, the final moments don’t exactly stick the landing, retreating into the safety of familiar genre sandboxes. Still, the journey remains an effective experience with killer posture. The creative impulses on display here are applied with the skill of creators much further into their filmographies than Tuason and Kiri are.
While undertone is being celebrated and marketed on the back of its sound design, its lighting is nearly as exciting. Tucson utilizes its single-location setting with inspired creativity. And sure, the following comparison can sometimes feel undermining or reductive, undertone would truly make for a spectacular stage show by the way it applies performance, light, and sound in perfect disharmony.
Tuason’s film succeeds because it understands its scope without being confined by it. Instead, he finds creative freedom in its structure. Grounded performances, precise control of story, and a clear command of sound and space anchor the film as it stretches its arms well beyond its handful of walls. And while it might gesture toward recognizable tropes from A24 territory, its confidence, curiosity, and craft suggest a filmmaker working with intention rather than limitation. He’s definitely one worth paying close attention to.
Editor’s Note: This is a second take from Dread Central out of Sundance 2026. The film was first reviewed after its world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival.
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