undertone
Undertone (2026) is an A24 psychological horror film directed by Ian Tuason, set for release on March 13, 2026. The movie centers on Evy, a skeptical podcast host who returns home to care for her dying mother. Her reality begins to unravel as she listens to a series of disturbing paranormal audio recordings from a pregnant couple, whose experiences increasingly mirror her own struggles. The film is critically acclaimed for its innovative use of sound design to create intense psychological dread and relies on unseen terrors rather than explicit visual gore. It explores themes of grief, isolation, spiritual doubt, and the fragility of sanity, with a runtime of 94 minutes. The film is primarily suited for adult audiences comfortable with slow-burn, anxiety-inducing horror.
Concerns
Profanity
HighStrong language is consistently present throughout 'Undertone (2026)', appearing frequently in conversational dialogue. While characters use profanity more casually than aggressively, its consistent nature is a contributing factor to the film's R rating.
The MPAA rating for 'Undertone (2026)' specifically mentions 'language throughout'. Reviews note that 'strong language appears consistently throughout the film, mostly in conversational dialogue,' with characters using profanity 'casually rather than aggressively,' but with sufficient frequency to warrant an R rating.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the film's horror narrative, which involves paranormal encounters and a supernatural podcast. The movie features a 'demonic voice' and draws on 'supernatural lore taken directly from real-life myth,' including 'Biblical characters' and 'Catholic guilt.' The concept of 'backmasking,' where reversed audio reveals hidden messages, is also employed.
The plot revolves around 'paranormal encounters' and a 'supernatural podcast'. Critical reviews highlight the presence of a 'demonic voice' and note that the film's lore is 'taken directly from real-life myth' and 'borrows from real Biblical characters,' playing on 'Catholic guilt'. Additionally, the film 'makes heavy use of the concept of backmasking, where audio played in reverse reveals a secret message within the sound'.
Scary & Intense Content
HighUndertone (2026) is designed to be intensely frightening through its psychological horror elements and immersive sound design. It generates 'sustained psychological terror' rather than jump scares or explicit gore. The film uses disturbing audio recordings, including 'eerie infant sounds and suggestions of violence against children,' creating a 'nightmarish audio experience from Hell' and a 'claustrophobic and relentless' atmosphere.
The film is described as 'intensely unsettling, relying on sound design, psychological dread, and thematic darkness'. Critics call it 'one of the scariest films you'll ever hear' and a 'nightmarish audio experience from Hell'. Specific examples of this intensity include 'disturbing audio recordings that imply harm, including threats involving children' and 'eerie infant sounds'.
Violence
MediumThe film contains very little on-screen violence or gore, but it is deeply steeped in sustained psychological terror. Much of the fear is derived from disturbing audio recordings that imply harm, including threats involving children, illness, and death. This psychological approach to horror creates intense, prolonged dread.
The film relies on 'disturbing audio recordings that imply harm, including threats involving children, illness, and death', contributing to a 'sustained psychological terror' rather than explicit physical violence. For example, the audio recordings feature 'eerie infant sounds and suggestions of violence against children' which are implied rather than visually depicted.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThere is no nudity or explicit sexual activity presented in 'Undertone (2026)'. Sexual content is limited to mature thematic material, including a character's pregnancy and a brief implication that a character may be considering an abortion. These topics are handled seriously and not sensationally.
The film contains 'no nudity and no explicit sexual activity'. However, the central character Evy is pregnant, and there is 'a brief implication that a character may be considering an abortion', which is discussed in a mature, non-graphic manner.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes 'some drug material' and references to alcohol. Substance use is minimal and serves more as background realism within the story rather than being glamorized or central to the plot. These instances contribute to the film's R rating.
The MPAA rating explicitly includes 'some drug material'. The content review states, 'References to substance use occur in dialogue, and there are brief moments involving alcohol,' but emphasizes that 'it is not glamorized or central to the story' and 'functions more as background realism'.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film incorporates religious elements by using 'Catholic guilt' and 'Biblical characters' within its horror lore, and features a protagonist (Evy) who is a skeptic raised by a 'deeply religious mother' in a house filled with 'religious iconography'. While not explicitly mocking, the use of these themes within a horror context, coupled with exploration of 'spiritual doubt,' could be perceived as challenging or undermining Christian faith.
The lore of the film 'plays on Catholic guilt to build a dense lore... [and] borrows from real Biblical characters'. Evy is portrayed as a 'natural skeptic who was raised by a deeply religious mother', and her home is 'saturated with religious iconography, statues, crosses, portraits of Jesus and Mary'. The film also explores themes of 'spiritual doubt' in connection to its horror narrative.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowNo specific LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or gender identity discussions are explicitly mentioned in the available plot summaries or critical reviews for 'Undertone (2026)'. While the movie title appeared in some search results alongside discussions of other LGBTQ-themed films or academic studies, there is no direct evidence to suggest its inclusion within this film's content.
Searches for 'Undertone (2026)' combined with terms such as 'lgbtq', 'gay', 'lesbian', 'transgender', 'queer representation', and 'LGBTQ characters' yielded no confirmed instances of such content directly related to the film's plot or characters. The movie was listed on pages that also referenced other films with LGBTQ+ content, but no details linked this specifically to 'Undertone (2026)'.
Disrespect & Rebellion
LowNo specific instances of overt disrespect, snarky dialogue, backtalk, or rebellious behavior are highlighted as significant plot points or character traits within the available information for 'Undertone (2026)'. The narrative focuses more on the protagonist's internal struggle and external supernatural threats.
The primary focus of the film is Evy's psychological unraveling while caring for her dying mother and investigating paranormal events, with no mention of rebellious acts or disrespectful interactions as core elements of the plot.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Undertone (2026) is rated R by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for 'language throughout and some drug material'. It is best suited for adults and older teens (17+) due to its sustained psychological terror, disturbing themes, and frequent strong language. Younger viewers or those sensitive to anxiety-inducing material, illness, or implied harm, especially concerning children, are likely to find it overwhelming.
Additional Notes
The film's unique approach to horror, relying heavily on auditory elements and psychological manipulation rather than visual frights, makes the viewing experience intensely immersive and potentially more unsettling. Critics emphasize that a high-quality sound system and theatrical viewing are essential to fully experience the film's intended terror. There are no reported differences across theatrical, extended, or director's cuts, nor has information on sequels or adaptations with evolving content been released, given its upcoming debut.
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