The UnderTone Movie – A Masterclass in Atmospheric Horror
The UnderTone Movie drops as a chilling dose of atmospheric horror, blending faith, grief, and supernatural terror into an unforgettable audio-driven ride. Written and directed by Ian Tuason and starring Nina Kiri, this A24 release grapples with the delicate boundary between miracles and nightmares. It’s the story of a daughter caring for her comatose mother and questioning the faith she abandoned along the way.
Out in theatres on March 13th 2025, UnderTone promises to redefine psychological horror through its meticulous sound design and emotional impact. So here’s the lowdown on this spiritual thriller.
The Premise: Family, Faith, and Fears that Keep you up at Night
In the UnderTone Movie, Nina Kiri plays Evy, a woman who is trying to care for her comatose mother while coming to terms with her own guilt for abandoning her faith. To cope with the emotional weight, she co-hosts a spook-tacular paranormal podcast with her friend Justin (Kris Holden-Ried). However, where Evy brings her skeptical voice to the table, her friend is all about believing in divine manifestations through audio recordings – and that’s where things start to get really interesting.
When Evy’s friend starts to play a series of ten extremely mysterious recordings, she starts to question her own faith – and the line between coincidence and the supernatural starts to get very blurred indeed. The film asks some very profound questions along the way – do we really want prayers from a faith we’ve stopped believing in? How do we deal with the guilt and the fears that come with abandoning our old beliefs?
What makes UnderTone stand out in the Horror Genre
Audio First Horror at its Finest
What really sets UnderTone Horror aside is its unique audio-first approach. Director Ian Tuason literally wrote every single sound cue into the script – every creak of the floor, every bang of a door, and every whispered word was meticulously thought out. That attention to detail creates a level of tension that’s bone-chilling, even though we only ever see two actors on screen.
Tuason filmed the whole movie in the same house where he was actually taking care of his own ailing parents. The emotional significance of that is immense – it adds this deep personal weight to the setting that makes the whole thing feel incredibly real. And when the paranormal stuff starts to kick in, you really believe it.
Spiritual Themes that won’t hit you over the head
Unlike most faith-based movies, UnderTone doesn’t preach to the audience. Instead, it lets them explore the spiritual anxiety of the main character through her journey. The film actually starts off with a Bible passage where Jesus brings a girl back from the dead, but it’s not used to hammer home a moral or anything like that. Instead, it’s more of an introduction to the themes of demons and resurrection.
Tuason actually said the Bible passage was chosen randomly, but it ends up being super relevant to the themes of the film. And that, I think, is what makes the film so powerful – it lets you interpret its meaning and significance for yourself.
Nina Kiri’s incredible Performance
Nina Kiri brings this depth and power to her role as Evy – a character who’s torn apart by guilt, love, and doubt. In interviews, she’s spoken about Evy’s universal struggle – ‘Did I do enough? Was I good enough?’ – and how that’s something that she can really relate to. And even though Nina Kiri is not even remotely religious, she found this deep sense of relatability in Evy’s desire for her parents’ approval and her need for moral certainty.
Her portrayal of Evy feels really human – her fear is real, her guilt is palpable, and her journey towards finding some peace is really emotionally resonant. And her chemistry with co-star Kris Holden-Ried is just fantastic – you can really sense the history between their characters, even though they’re not always saying much.
The Director’s Personal Connection
Ian Tuason’s dedication to the undertone goes far beyond just what’s on screen. You can see that in the closing dedication to his parents, where it really shows how much this project meant to him:
“To Mom and Dad from March 2021 to October 2023… I learned all about peace, happiness, wisdom, service, and existence from you two.”
That personal investment is what elevates the undertone movie from just another horror flick to a meditation on love, loss, and what it means to leave a lasting legacy . Tuason took something really tough – his own grief – and turned it into a work of art that invites people to think about their own relationships with family and faith.
Family Playing a Big Role in the Production
Family played a really important part in the making of this film:
· Tuason’s nephew did those haunting drawings that are featured in the final scenes
· The director’s old bedroom actually doubled as Evy’s holding room
· And there are all sorts of personal items that inspired costume details – like his mother’s pinky ring
When Ian couldn’t find his nephew’s drawings just when he needed them, only to find them exactly where he’d left them afterwards, he took it as a sign. He thought his mom was trying to tell him to keep those drawings out of the film because they belonged to his grandkids. That shows how much respect Tuason had for spirituality in this movie.
Sound Design – The Real Horror
The undertone horror film is proof that sometimes the scariest stuff is what you don’t see. By not putting too many actors on screen, Tuason forces the audience to listen – and that really makes them imagine the worst. This makes for a super tense movie that’s way more interesting than anything you’d see on screen:
· Because you’re not sure what’s happening, it gets really intense
· It makes the supernatural stuff feel way more real
· And it’s just a really immersive experience – like you’re right there in the theater
Justin’s idea that the divine could be a way to get a message through an MP3 file is the central idea of the film. In a world full of digital noise, it’s a reminder to listen for the real signal.
The Horror Bits Are Just the Tip of the Iceberg
The Reality of Caregiving
Evy’s struggles are a reflection of what it’s really like to care for an aging parent. The film doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff – exhaustion, resentment, hope, and that one thing we all wish for at some point: “I just wish it could all just be over already”. That kind of honesty makes the horror even more effective because it’s grounded in real life.
Unrequited Love and Friendship in the Shadows
While it’s not the main plot, the friendship between Evy and Justin adds some extra emotional depth to the story. Tuason and the actors developed a backstory of them having an unrequited romance in college – and that’s what informs the way they interact with each other. It’s the little touches of tenderness that show you how love can just be there, even when things don’t work out exactly as planned
Imperfect Love – Showing Up is the Best You Can Do
At its heart, the undertone movie is all about imperfect love. We may mess it up – we may not say the right words or do the right things – but love is still love. Tuason shows us that faith isn’t about being perfect – it’s about being there for the people you care about – listening to them, showing up for them.
Making the Film – A Journey of Serendipity and Spirit
Making undertone was all about embracing the unexpected. From randomly selected Bible verses to Nina Kiri wearing a pinky ring that looked just like Ian’s mom’s – it’s like the whole film was guided by some kind of unseen force. Tuason actually built spirituality into the pre-production process, having the cast pick out random passages from a book for inspiration.
That openness to mystery is what ends up in the final film. The undertone horror film is a film that leaves a lot of questions open – but that’s actually its greatest strength.
Why you absolutely have to watch Undertone
✅ Pioneering horror that shakes up the genre – think you know horror? Think again
✅ Nina Kiri and Kris Holden-Ried give performances that knock you off your feet
✅ A really deep exploration of faith, grief & the bonds that keep us going
✅ Ian Tuason’s not just a director, he’s a master craftsman, every detail matters in undertone
✅ A24 level quality – the big release is March 13 2025, save the date
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is undertone out?
A: Get your tickets for the undertone horror movie on March 13 2025 – A24’s got it in the theaters.
Q: Is undertone based on a real story?
A: The movie may be fictional, but director Ian Tuason drew from his own experiences, even filming in his childhood home to get that emotional connection just right
Q: What’s the big deal with undertone?
A: It’s the way it tells the story through sound that really sets it apart from other horror films. The themes of spirituality and emotional realism create a unique experience that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.
Q: Who stars in Undertone?
A: Nina Kiri takes the lead as Evy, with Kris Holden-Ried as Justin and Michèle Duquet playing Evy’s comatose mother – the cast does a fantastic job
Q: Is undertone suitable for all ages?
A: As a horror film with a supernatural twist, the undertone is going to be way more suited to grown-ups who can handle some genuine psychological tension – it’s not exactly kid-friendly
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