20 Underrated Recent Movies You Might Have Missed
13. Undertone
Ian Tuason's directorial debut Undertone has endured the trademark trajectory of a buzzy festival horror film that gets acquired by a major studio and then released to the masses.
Tuason's film has been lauded for its atmosphere, sound design, and Nina Kiri's central performance ever since it premiered last summer, though its recent theatrical release saw a decidedly more polarised response from general viewers.
A "C" CinemaScore seemed to reflect the film's low-key, low-budget nature, focused as it is on slow-burn, audio-centric storytelling without the more volcanic set-pieces some might've been led to expect from the hype.
But take away misplaced preconceptions and Undertone is a fascinating, bewildering slice of experimental horror which does a whole lot with its mere $500,000 price tag.
It won't be for everyone, but the audience backlash so far seems less an indictment of the film itself than the rather conservative tastes of multiplex horror fans.
Considering that Undertone has grossed over $20 million theatrically, though, A24 is probably delighted with its performance. And filmmaker Tuason is already signed to helm the next installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise.