Title – The Whisper Man (2026)

Director – James Ashcroft (The Rule of Jenny Pen)

Cast – Adam Scott, Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton, Owen Teague, Hamish Linklater

Plot – Small town resident Tom Kennedy (Scott) and his family get embroiled in a life and death situation involving a notorious serial killer known as the Whisper Man, with Tom’s estranged father and ex-detective Peter Willis (De Niro) and current day police officer Amanda Beck (Monaghan) called in to help uncover the mysteries at the heart of the case.

“The deadliest killers can’t be silenced”

Review by Eddie on 09/09/2026

If there’s one thing I can confidently say about Netflix, it’s at least the company is consistent.

When I talk of this consistency however it’s more so that they’re consistent in turning star studded vehicles with potential into mind-numbingly dull and instantly forgettable offerings that are modern day big budget takes on what at one time use to be direct to DVD/bargain bin affairs.

Continuing on their merrily consistent ways with James Ashcroft’s adaptation of Alex North’s novel The Whisper Man, a 90’s like throwback murder filled thriller that on paper appears to be a recipe for a good night in on the couch, Ashcroft’s amateurishly edited and put together procedural is such a dull and lifeless affair, you wonder how anyone involved could’ve thought this was final product worthy.

Caring little when it comes to making logical sense and doing the bare minimum when it comes to character work or creative concepts, Whisper is content with doing as little work as it can get away with as we spend close to two hours alongside the dull trio of Adam Scott’s grieving father Tom Kennedy, Robert De Niro as his estranged ex-detective father Peter Willis and Michelle Monaghan as the really shouldn’t have shown up Amanda Beck as the group try and unlock the time sensitive mysteries of the infamous serial killer The Whisper Man.

Having directed festival favourite indie horror The Rule of Jenny Pen over recent years, Ashcroft’s association with this anticipated adaptation has sadly amounted to very little as his graduation to bigger budgets and star wattage has concluded with this damp cloth of a viewing experience that gives us no thrills, chills or spills on its merry way to a collection of unbelievable and unexplained circumstances that only ever threaten to get mildly interesting when a scene chewing Michael Keaton roles into play in a few scenes portraying the unnerving convicted felon Frank Carter.

There’s a time and a place for these over the top and pulpy feeling thrillers, with this type of film done right the perfect Netflix consumable but despite there being a need for films of this ilk there still needs to be a level of care factor and respect for the audience which Whisper just never gives itself or us and perhaps most frustratingly wastes a Robert De Niro turn where he has actually shown up.

So often these days relegated to bit parts in questionable product outside of the rare The Irishman or Killers of the Flower Moon, the 83-year-old Hollywood legend gets a fair bit to do in Ashcroft’s film but it ends up amounting to not a whole lot when he’s working with an almost AI generated feeling script and cookie-cutter genre plays and his interplay with the hamstrung Scott and Monaghan doesn’t amount to much, held back by a film that lacks composure, confidence and respect.

Final Say –

There’s a lot that could’ve gone right with The Whisper Man if it had been designed with the right intentions and care but as it stands, this latest Netflix dud is nothing but a waste of talent and time.

1 soggy floorboard out of 5