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This has been an exceptional year for horror cinema. Breakout hits Obsession and Backrooms have outperformed major releases, while quieter, more experimental films such as Hokum have left audiences deeply unsettled worldwide. The genre has also proved once again that theatrical success isn't the sole measure of a film's impact. Horror movies divide opinion, perhaps more than any other genre, only to find a much wider audience once they arrive on streaming services. This appears to be the case with one of A24's most divisive releases of the year.
According to FlixPatrol, Ian Tuason's Undertone has quickly become one of HBO Max's biggest movies, currently sitting at No.2 on the site's global chart, which aggregates the streamer's daily Top 10 rankings from around the world. It sits behind only Lee Cronin's The Mummy and way ahead of major studio releases such as Wicked: For Good and Interstellar. It's an impressive showing for a low-budget supernatural horror that generated plenty of discussion during its theatrical run, particularly due to innovative sound design, but never quite broke through into the public consciousness in the same way as the most successful A24 horror movies.
Undertone is a quiet, unassuming story about a ghost-story-debunking podcaster (Nina Kiri) who unwittingly brings forth a malevolent supernatural force after investigating a series of disturbing recordings. Rather than relying on jump scares or elaborate visual effects, the film builds a genuine feeling of unease through an oppressive atmosphere, largely through the meticulous sound design, which utilizes deliberate silences just as much as loud, jarring noises. It adds up to an unusually immersive viewing experience.
Watching Undertone in theaters, though, was so effective that it raised questions over how exactly the same effect could be achieved when the film made its way to streaming services. It's not an unfounded concern — cinema history is full of films that relied on the big-screen experience, from William Castle's infamously theatrical gimmicks to more modern releases designed around 3D or premium sound systems.
However, early reactions suggest that any such fears in relation to Undertone are misplaced. As Slashfilm noted in its reassessment of the film's streaming debut, Undertone remains just as unsettling outside the cinema, with its carefully layered audio proving just as effective in a living room setting.
This success is all the more surprising given how divided audiences were when the film first opened. While Undertone earned a respectable 73% critic's score on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences were far less enthused, leaving it with an underwhelming 50% Popcornmeter. Then again, this disparity is hardly unusual for horror. Recent critical hits like Skinamarink and Enys Men failed to resonate with mainstream audiences, while gaining a devoted following within the horror community.
Ultimately, Undertone's HBO Max performance demonstrates one of streaming's biggest strengths for the horror genre, proving that it doesn't need universal acclaim to become a streaming success. Movies that might struggle to achieve a cinematic breakthrough can now reach viewers who are actively seeking out something different, giving more experimental horror films the opportunity to find their audience long after leaving cinemas.
