Review: Undertone

·41 min·4 clips

Megan instantly agrees that Undertone feels like an anti-abortion film, sparking a debate on its intentionality and ick factor.

The episode begins with hosts Brennan Cassidy and Megan Kearns introducing the film Undertone, which premiered at Fantasia Fest and was picked up by A24. They discuss the film's premise: a paranormal podcast host receives terrifying audio recordings that may summon a demonic entity named Abazoo. Megan shares her tempered expectations due to the hype calling it the scariest movie ever, noting her rarity of being scared by horror films. Brennan reveals the film physically affected him, praising its sound design and use of anticipation. They explore the film's deeper themes, such as grief, guilt, and caretaking, linking them to director Ian Twassen's personal experiences with his parents' cancer and alcoholism. The conversation shifts to a debate on whether the film is anti-abortion, with Megan expressing an 'icky' feeling and Brennan questioning if it's an inadvertent message. They discuss the film's effective podcasting elements, including authentic banter and technical details like the Focus Scarlett Solo audio interface. The hosts highlight performances by Nina Curie and Adam DeMarco, as well as voice actors Kina Lynn Bastidas and Jeff Young. They touch on the film's low budget of $500,000 and its box office success, grossing nearly $10 million. Brennan and Megan compare Undertone to other horror films like Hereditary and Talk to Me, noting similarities in thematic confusion. They mention Twassen's future projects, including sequels to Undertone and the next Paranormal Activity film. The episode concludes with recommendations to support the film despite reservations, and housekeeping notes about upcoming podcast content.

As heard by us

A scary-film discussion turns into a pointed debate about Catholic imagery and abortion politics.

Undertone uses a post-awards-season slot for a tense conversation about Undertow, a small horror film Brennan Cassidy and Megan Kearns read first as a scary experience and then as something more troubling.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a horror conversation that gets genuinely uneasy about what its symbolism might be asking.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from InSession Film Podcast