The Unheard (2023) Compelling Thriller Elevated by Innovative Sound Design (Review)

Never mind the eyes, it’s the ears playing tricks on our unsuspecting protagonist in the Unheard, a clever little thriller by ‘The Beach House’ director Jeff A. Brown.

Lachlan Watson plays Chloe, a young profoundly deaf Gen Y-er who we meet while preparing for an experimental procedure to repair her damaged hearing. Seeking to recuperate in peace, she returns to the dusty forest cabin her family seemingly abandoned following the mysterious disappearance of her mother, along with the onset of her deafness. At first, Chloe must communicate with the locals via an app which slows down conversations and makes relating to her childhood acquaintances tough, however within a few days Chloe’s hearing returns in full, shocking the doctors and reminding her of the joy in fizzy drinks, or running water.

Unfortunately, along with her hearing comes startling and horrific auditory experiences, which Chloe can’t be sure are hallucinatory or genuine. Chloe pours over old home movies featuring her mother while the auditory issues continue, is she simply remembering her mother’s voice calling to her or is there a deeper, darker reason for the sounds she is hearing that involves the whole town? As Chloe investigates the sounds become louder and more violent, putting more than her hearing at risk as she uncovers the truth behind her past.

Director Brown has collaborated with the streaming service Shudder to produce this neat little chiller and while it’s slick enough, there’s something of a TV movie vibe about it, especially as it progresses. This aside, some clever devices make the film ultimately more watchable than some of its peers. First, a big shout out to the sound design team, who take the bold move to have the first 20ish minutes largely in silence, as Chloe experiences, only adding a sound when the app which she uses to hear and transcribe conversations is used. The muted sounds heard outside of that give us a valuable insight into Chloe’s world, the isolating nature of her deafness and Watson plays Chloe’s longing to hear again competently, we’re on Chloe’s side right from the get-go. When her hearing returns, we experience the joy in the little things we largely take for granted – popcorn popping in the microwave, birdsong, and music all elicit wide-eyed wonder in Chloe but also make you realise the fragility of her hearing and the potential devastation if the medical trial she has embarked on goes wrong.

The medical trial is a clever hook – the doctor describes the treatment as like a ‘virus’ which regrows the parts of the ear that were damaged. We’re constantly aware that Chloe is ‘under the influence’ of the experimental treatment, so we constantly question whether what she hears is real, or a part of the treatment and that questioning nature of Chloe’s mental state is sustained until late into the film, especially upon arrival of Chloe’s doctor, who begins to question her suitability for the trial in the first place. Chloe’s relationship with the constantly concerned Doctor Lynch (Shunori Ramanthan) is interesting – it’s never quite clear if Doctor Lynch feels more than just medical concern for Chloe, but it’s not treated as a revelation when they kiss, presenting a refreshing lack of shock at a non-signposted queer moment, something I’d like to see a bit more of in mainstream movies.

The supernatural elements of the film are based almost entirely on auditory experiences, the ghosts and ghouls being the real people as opposed to spectral entities. It’s less Blumhouse’s ‘quiet, quiet, bang’ formula, more sustained, invasive noises – Chloe’s ears bleed at times from the intensity of the noise, hence why the sound design is so important to the overall tension of the film. The story follows a Stir of Echoes formula, those familiar with that film should have a good view of the direction the film will go in. The combination of supernatural and real-life mystery is a tough balance to strike, this is where we veer slightly into TV movie territory, but Watson gives an admirable performance and the film’s climax is satisfying, albeit cliched, standard fare for this type of film. Refreshingly, the lack of dialogue draws attention to the screen, so my mobile phone remained in my pocket, which is no mean feat for a modern thriller. A distinct lack of gore means this is suitable for most ages, younger teens shouldn’t overly struggle with the scares, so it’s one for the family.

The Unheard is eminently watchable, with innovative sound design, and has solid performances, especially from Watson in the lead, setting up a potential ‘Final Person’ legacy. Settle in for an entertaining evenings fare, your microwave popcorn never sounded better.

David’s Archive: The Unheard (2023)

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