Stream & Scream: “Undertone” (2026)
The host of a popular paranormal podcast is sent hidden messages within anonymous recordings, unleashing a demonic presence that is impossible to escape.
When I first saw the trailer for “Undertone” at the beginning of the year, I became really intrigued by its premise. Since it has been available on HBO Max for some time, I have been meaning to finally get to it eventually. And, with the spooky season winding down, I knew this would be the right time to check it out.
“Undertone” delivers an intense slow-burn atmosphere, a strong lead performance and an innovative sound design. The standout highlight of this 2026 movie is easily, hands down, the sound design. Built around the premise of listening to ten mysterious audio recordings, the production team used extensive Dolby audio to mix sinister voices, ambient hums, and unsettling noises. To hear the sounds carefully, I suggest turning your TV or soundbar up higher than usual to get the full effect.
If you’re tired of modern jump scare tropes, then you will really appreciate this movie! Writer and director Ian Tucson did a great job utilizing a “less is more” approach. Instead of relying on loud jump scares or CGI monsters, “Undertone” relies on lingering shots of empty corridors, open doorways and shadowy staircases. This movie’s restraint tricks the viewer’s minds into filling in the blank spaces with their own fears, creating an overwhelming, continuous sense of claustrophobic tension.
Since the movie almost functions as a one woman show in a way - with her co-star playing a bedridden, non-responsive mother - actress Nina Kiri had to carry the emotional weight and escalating terror of the overall narrative almost entirely on her own and she nails it! Her grounded performance makes the movie’s descent into paranoia feel really authentic, believable and emotionally agonizing.
The movie’s slow burn approach is the single most polarizing element of “Undertone” and I can see why some viewers either really enjoy it or they don’t. The slow buildup reflects the protagonist’s real life exhaustion and creeping mental collapse, giving the supernatural elements time to ground themselves emotionally before everything goes off the rails. The quiet pacing also forces viewers to pay close attention to the sound mix and subtle
background details.
Now, while the slow burn aspect of the movie does work, it can also be slightly dull at times as the entire first act is heavily dedicated to set up - listening to the audio tracks a few times, everyday care-taking, and mundane podcast prep work.
The overall critical and audience response to the 20206 horror movie “Undertone” is highly polarized but generally positive, with a strong consensus praising its revolutionary sound design while dividing over its experimental pace and minimalist structure.
MPA: Rated R for language (running time 94 minutes)
Initial release date: March 13, 2026
Streaming services: HBO Max/various PVOD services (as of working on this review)
For the Nov. 4th edition of the Examiner, I will be planning on two post-Halloween reviews for a couple recent releases that are available on streaming that I couldn’t fit into my Stream & Scream review series! These two reviews will be for the recent releases “Passenger” and “Evil Dead Burn.” For the rest of the year, I will also be planning a couple special reviews for Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving, along with my annual holiday review series that I won’t be planning until at least mid-November at the earliest. So, make sure to follow my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook and I hope you enjoyed this year’s Stream & Scream review series!
Kiri's authentic first-time reactions to the pre-recorded audio files were captured on camera, with the actress wearing noise-canceling headphones during filming, which she said made it easier to react honestly because the headphones shut her off from the surrounding crew and set.
"Undertone" was shot entirely inside director Ian Tuason's childhood home in the Toronto suburb of Rexdale - the same house where he cared for both his dying parents, making it simultaneously the film's production location and the real-world site of its emotional inspiration.
Actress Michèle Duquet, who plays the comatose mother, studied the physical deterioration of the human face near death, noting that her own mother's face had changed day by day as muscles began to atrophy - and she incorporated these almost imperceptible details into her performance while lying completely still on set.
Before writing "Undertone," Tuason experimented with an audio-only radio-style play about paranormal investigators, for which he digitally reversed music tracks, filmed actors listening to the distorted playback, and captured the audio himself on an iPhone.
The film's surround-sound mix was later expanded into Dolby Atmos in post-production, intensifying the 360-degree aural experience that Tuason had designed from the script stage onward.
Comments