Ultrasound is an extremely difficult film to write a review for, mainly because it’s hard to even figure out what is happening. The movie starts off relatively normal with a young man named Glen (Vincent Kartheiser) having car trouble. He gets a flat tire and seeks help from the only house nearby. A married couple, Art (Bob Stephenson) and Cyndi (Chelsea Lopez), offer to let him stay the night at their place. Glen hesitantly accepts. Right away something seems amiss. Much of that is due to Matthew Rudenberg’s marvelous cinematography which captures each scene a bit off kilter with interesting close ups and odd angles.

 

Things get extra creepy when Art suggests Glen sleep with his wife. Glen is able to make it out of this odd situation unscathed. Until one day when Art randomly shows up at his house claiming that Glen got Cyndi pregnant. Glen agrees to see Cyndi and that’s when things get even weirder. I don’t want to mention anything else because it’s truly better to go into the movie with no expectations. Don’t read any articles or reviews about it and honestly don’t even watch the trailer.

 

A good portion of the movie leaves you in the dark and you will be racking your brain trying to piece things together and figure out what is going on. Writer Conor Stechschulte gives you just enough information to keep you interested without letting you in on the secret until about two thirds of the movie has passed.

 

Director Rob Schroeder’s style will remind you of a young David Fincher. He keeps things dark, intense, and complex for the entire one hour and forty-three minute runtime. He utilizes sound to help add to the overall atmosphere and mood of the movie. High frequency radio waves are often present in the background to further muddle and confuse scenes. The sound design fits perfectly and enhances the story immensely.

 

The story is also helped by great acting from Kartheiser and Lopez and compelling performances from Breeda Wool and Tunde Adebimpe. Wool in particular has been impressive as of late with a memorable performance in Mass (2021) and then a solid effort here. Wool’s character grounds Ultrasound in some sort of reality and then whips the rug out from under your feet at the most inopportune moment.

 

I’m not entirely sure Ultrasound’s finale makes sense but it honestly didn’t need to. The journey to get there is entirely bonkers but so much fun that you’ll enjoy the ride even if you don’t wind up loving the final destination. I sat in awe as I tried to understand where the characters were and what was real in this movie. But it was like trying to maintain your footing on an icy hill. Just when you think you find solid ground for a second, you slip and lose your bearings immediately.

 

Ultrasound is a mind-bending story that will leave you questioning what’s real and who you can trust. But perhaps the biggest takeaway from this one is to never ever partake in hypnosis. Trust me.