31/08/26

Netflix

My first thought on hearing about The Whisper Man is this: “How does a film that stars Adam Scott, Robert De Niro and Michael Keaton bypass the cinemas completely and go straight to Netflix?” Then I watch the film and the mystery is instantly solved. Based on a best-selling novel by Alex North (adapted by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer), this is essentially a police procedural with the trappings of a supernatural story, which somehow contrives to be disappointing in both genres.

After the death of his wife, author Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott) moves into a great big creepy house, with his young son, Jake (Actston Luca Porto). Ever since Jake found his mother dead at the bottom of a flight of steps, he’s been terrified of staircases – which instantly begs the question, why don’t the two of them rent a bungalow instead? But no, Dad decides to go for a place that looks like the Amityville House.

Pretty soon after their arrival, Jake starts talking in whispers to an imaginary person and then, very shortly afterwards, he is kidnapped in the middle of the night while Tom is fast asleep. Jake is just the latest in a whole succession of children to disappear in such a way, their bodies appearing at regular intervals, dumped in remote spots with their faces covered. Detective Amanda Beck (Michelle Monaghan) is all too aware that these murders are eerily similar to the exploits of another killer, Frank Carter (Michael Keaton), but he’s been safely locked up for years after being arrested by Detective Peter Willis (Robert De Niro).

When things seem desperate, Tom approaches the father he hasn’t communicated with in years. His father is – wait for it – the very same Peter Willis, now retired and clearly reluctant to return to the case that cost him his wife and son…

If the central premise beggars belief, stick around, it gets worse. A whole bunch of unlikely coincidences ensue and it doesn’t help that both De Niro and Scott look thoroughly bored throughout. Only Keaton, playing a Hannibal Lectorish psychopath, appears to be having fun with his brief guest appearance. It also doesn’t help that. watching this, I keep guessing what’s going to happen a good fifteen minutes before it actually transpires. Even the central ‘ghost’ element is played out like a major revelation when it’s really not.

Currently Netflix’s number one movie, The Whisper Man is right there to watch at the touch of a button, but… ssshh! Whisper it. Despite those big names, this is small beer.

2. 8 stars

Philip Caveney