Independent Film Company and Shudder have taken huge risks in the films I have seen over the past few years. Some examples are Chloe Okuno’s Watcher; Phil Tippett’s stop-motion masterpiece, Mad God; Kyle Edward Ball’s polarizing feature debut Skinamarink; and Ben Leonberg and Alex Cannon’s just-as-polarizing Good Boy. Of course, the V/H/S horror anthology film franchise has maintained a solid one-film-per-year streak since its reboot, V/H/S/94, in 2021. Open-mindedness and optimism are important qualities to have in these cases. I mean, the United States film distributor and horror streaming platform are dealing with independent films. Therefore, viewers are bound to come upon some gems.
I discovered Whistle after spotting its lead actor in one of the first officially released stills late last year. After watching the director Colin Hardy’s short film, Butterfly, online last month, my interest in seeing this feature has piqued. The horror-thriller carries on themes of death, coping with living, and people’s connections to religion and other belief systems. I’m not too familiar with the filmmaker’s other work, but I am now curious to give them a try. Whistle is imperfect, yet there are worthwhile lessons that the newer generation can get from it by the end, some frightening and some heartfelt.
Whistle is written by Owen Egerton and is directed by executive producer Corin Hardy (Butterfly, The Nun, Gangs of London). The screenplay is based on Egerton’s short story, “Untimely”.
In this review, I will discuss Whistle. As this article’s title suggests, no spoilers will be present.
Whistle Synopsis
According to Independent Film Company and Shudder, here is the official synopsis for Corin Hardy and Owen Egerton’s Whistle.
A misfit group of unwitting high school students stumble upon a cursed object, an ancient Aztec Death Whistle. They discover that blowing the whistle and the terrifying sound it emits will summon their future deaths to hunt them down. As the body count rises, the friends investigate the origins of the deadly artifact in a desperate effort to stop the horrifying chain of events that they have set in motion.
IFC and Shudder
Discussion
Whistle is ridiculously formulaic, and aside from a slight change or two, it can be an obstacle to overcome. The IFC/ Shudder film has obvious narrative beats akin to Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise (minus the campy comedy), Craven’s Scream, Final Destination, some terrifying elements resembling Andy Muschietti’s It, Parker Finn’s Smile films, Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare, and character depictions mirroring John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club, Scream: Resurrection (the Scream television program’s third season), and perhaps Alex Proyas, David J. Schow, and John Shirley’s The Crow. The screenplay’s clichéd lines of dialogue and conventional tropes are frequently irksome, but I urge prospective audience members to push forward.
Hardy and Egerton’s film intentionally integrates teen stereotypes into the roster of primary characters, which is fine. It does a good job of painting them well enough to make the actors likable in their roles. IFC and Shudder’s official production notes describe Whistle as “emotionally involved and scary”, with characters who are “memorable and cinematic”. I agree with this sentiment. For example, protagonist Chrysanthemum “Chrys” Willet’s (Dafne Keen) same-age cousin, Rel Taylor (Sky Yang), is a nerd. Moreover, he’s a nerd who has interests but also ethos and pathos. He is willing to fight and kill for those he loves; unfortunately for the film, he possesses morals.
Sadly for me, the movie lacks logos. Sure, it’s easy to identify where one act ends and the next begins. Regardless, I have ten fingers and can count at least several moments where I rolled my eyes or paused to think, this is not happening. It also doesn’t help that Egerton’s screenplay was in the middle of finding a director during the writers’ strike. By the end of the first act, it does beg the question: Are teenagers this reckless?
Teenagehood: Intelligence Versus Wisdom
The short answer is: yes.
The long answer, however, is that, in the media, we have seen teenagers do far worse than whatever occurs in this film. As time progresses, news often breaks out about young people committing murder, sexual assault, spouting slurs, and every other repugnant act that has left the public numb and desensitized. With so much occurring in the world, common sense seems to be a dwindling commodity. Adolescents and teenagers don’t know any better. Still, they are far smarter than the older folks give them credit for. If Egerton has done anything right in his screenwriting, it’s the fact that the younger demographic is prone to making mistakes. After all, they’re at a learning stage wherein trial and error is necessary.
Although the final act is most irritating to me, there’s a good takeaway that plays into the idea of surviving high school. Beyond bullies, heartbreak, and failure, this environment is meant to be a spiritually, physically, and psychologically safe space. Instead, this same environment dials anxiety up one hundred-fold, thus turning into an incredibly dark atmosphere. The Shudder movie earns its ethos in conveying that teenagers haven’t completely built up wisdom. Again, optimism is key, and collaboration, respect, and understanding are necessary for a brighter future.
Putting Whistle Together
Stylistically speaking, production designer Jennifer Spence’s set pieces are clean and crisp; maybe it’s the lighting. For a project of this nature with what the screenplay calls for, Hardy, Egerton, and their crew have got a good thing going. Pellington High School, Taylor’s home versus high school jock Dean Jackson’s (Jhaleil Swaby) home, Grace Browning’s (Ali Skovbye) luscious backyard swimming area and jacuzzi—I’m impressed because the Elm Street and Final Destination movies are quite hit-or-miss. Certainly, visual effects and prosthetics weigh into the total look of Whistle. Nonetheless, for an indie flick, these are pros.
Director of photography Björn Charpentier captures favorable shots with the camera, like the split-diopter focus between the titular whistle and one of its first victims, or the shifting angles at a mirror in a hospice. The cinematographer never loses concentration on the subjects. I appreciate those efforts. Editor Nicholas Emerson has some fine cuts in places, such as in a labyrinth scene or the climax between the final girls and one of the boys. Otherwise, I cannot confidently say that outstanding stylistic choices were made in this department.
Music composer Doomphonic has a unique soundtrack that incorporates synths to grab my attention. Music supervisors Dina Coughlan and Rory McPartland’s song curation has something for everyone. With the exception of one track that isn’t my cup of tea within the film’s narrative, the rest checks out. As Willet tells her cousin: “Doesn’t get old, good music; it’s only bad music that ages”. Nobody will forget about the Olivia Rodrigos and the Iron Maidens of the world, and that speaks to the theme of living and dying.
The Crew Behind Whistle
Björn Charpentier serves as the director of photography. Michael Gibson serves as the stills photographer.
Nicholas Emerson serves as the editor.
Dara McKeagney, Sam Noone, and Siofra Quinn Gates are the Dublin assistant editors.
Doomphonic scores the film’s soundtrack.
Dina Coughlan (The Hole in the Ground, Evil Dead Rise, Soulm8te) and Rory McPartland (The Hole in the Ground, Evil Dead Rise, Soulm8te) serve as the music supervisors.
Steve Fanagan serves as the sound designer.
Jenny Lewis (Becky, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, The Boys) and Sara Kay (Zack Snyder and James Gunn’s Dawn of the Dead, Becky, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, The Boys, Gen V) serves as the Canadian casting directors.
Joey Caplan (FX’s What We Do in the Shadows Season 3, The Boys, Gen V) serves as the Canadian casting assistant.
Louise Kiely (The Lobster, Into the Badlands, Avatar: The Way of Water, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy) serves as the Irish casting director.
Thyrza Ging and Barry Coyle serve as the Irish casting associates. Fionnuala O’Shea is the Irish casting assistant.
Roisin McGilly (Ready or Not, Possessor, The Invisible Man, Becky, Don Mancini’s Chucky) is the background casting director.
Storyboarding, Effects, and Stunts
Nóthof Ferenc Attila and Rob McCallum (Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Land of the Dead, Orphan, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Devil, It: Welcome to Derry) serve as the Death sequence storyboard artists.
Matt Glover serves as the visual effects supervisor. Dave Sauro serves as the VFX producer.
On behalf of Herne Hill, Adam Quattrociocchi (The First Omen) serves as the VFX producer, and Queenie Xie (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, The First Omen) serves as the VFX editor.
Outer Limits VFX does additional VFX. Andy Clarke (A Discovery of Witches Season 3) serves as both the VFX supervisor and the VFX artist. Vickey Curtis is credited as the VFX producer.
Kayla Dobilas (Beau Is Afraid), Jason Detheridge (Beau Is Afraid), and Steve Newburn (Resident Evil: Afterlife, The Strain Seasons 1 & 2, Hereditary, Ready or Not, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Beau Is Afraid, Until Dawn) serve as the puppeteers.
Dan Iaboni (Sinners) serves as the stunt and movement coordinator.
Jennifer Murray and Josslyn Farrow serve as the Chrys stunt doubles. Naomi Frenette plays Chrys’s Vengeful Death.
Murray and Caitlin McNerney are the Ellie stunt doubles. Toria Summerville plays Ellie’s Seizure Death.
Jose “JJ” Lavadan is Rel’s stunt double.
Moses Nyarko is Dean’s stunt double. Troy James serves as the contortionist for Dean’s Death, while Matthew MacCallum plays Dean’s Death.
Holly McCredden is the Grace stunt double. Kalie Hunter and Summerville play Grace’s Death.
Bauston Camilleri is the Noah stunt double. MacCallum also plays both Noah’s Bloated Death and Mason’s Burned Man death. Patrick Kerton plays the Dead Burning Mason stunt double.
Aesthetics
Jennifer Spence (the Paranormal Activity film franchise, Insidious: Chapter 2, Insidious: Chapter 3, Lights Out, The Nun, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, We Have a Ghost, Until Dawn) serves as the production designer.
Anthony A. Ianni (the Saw film franchise, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Black Phone 2) serves as the art director.
Eric Deros serves as the set designer. Kari Measham serves as the set decorator.
Leslie Kavanagh serves as the costume designer. Francisca Alvarado serves as the assistant costume designer.
Leslie A. Sebert serves as the makeup department head.
Amber Bentley is the key makeup artist. Marissa Clemence is the makeup assistant.
Karola Dirnberger (Urban Legends: Final Cut, Devil, Hannibal Season 3, The Handmaid’s Tale Seasons 1 & 2, The Boys) serves as the hair department head.
Heidi Hurtarte is the key hairstylist. Morgan Brown is the additional hairstylist for Jhaleil Swaby.
Newburn and Paul Jones serve as the prosthetic makeup effects designers. Anna Della Zazzera, Allan Cooke, and Larissa Palaszczuk (The Shrouds) are the prosthetic makeup artists.
The Cast of Whistle
Dafne Keen (Logan, His Dark Materials, The Acolyte, Deadpool & Wolverine) portrays Chrysanthemum “Chrys” Willet, the new girl in town.
Sophie Nélisse (47 Meters Down: Uncaged, Yellowjackets, Heated Rivalry) portrays Ellie Gains.
Sky Yang (Rebel Moon, Anniversary) plays Rel Taylor, Chrys’s cousin.
Jhaleil Swaby portrays Dean Jackson, a high school jock. Ali Skovbye portrays Grace Browning, Dean’s girlfriend.
Nick Frost (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Into the Badlands, Get Away) plays Mr. Craven, the high school history teacher.
Mika Amonsen (Thanksgiving) plays Tanner Church, Dean’s close friend and high school basketball teammate.
Stephen Kalyn plays Mason “Horse” Raymore, a high school basketball player. Michelle Fairley (Gangs of London) cameos as Ivy Raymore, Horse’s mother.
Dina Pino portrays Esme Raymore, Horse’s grandmother and Ivy’s mother.
Other Roles
Conrad Coates (The Strain Season 1, X-Men: Apocalypse, FX’s Fargo Season 5, Dream Scenario, Totally Killer) and Lanette Ware appear as Dean’s father and mother, Clayton and Maya Jackson, respectively.
Christine Sahely plays Pellington High School Principal Flynn.
Izaak Smith appears as a Pellington High School basketball coach. Vicki Kim appears as the Recruiter.
Cameron Norris plays Timmy, Grace’s young brother.
Mikayla Long plays Asha Nelson, a high school freshman.
Michael Koras plays Tommy.
Louis Adams appears as a doctor.
Maynuka Sarwar plays a “Sexy Pennywise”. Jack Beeston plays a games booth clerk. Clayton Scott plays a werewolf. Natasha Tracy Taylor plays a woman at the annual Pellington harvest festival.
Jee-Yun Lee (The Incredible Hulk, Nikita) plays a local newsreporter.
Brandon James Sim portrays the Mr. Craven doppelganger.
Ruth Chiang is credited as appearing as Rel’s mom.
Performances and Character Developments
Nélisse is calm and collected in her performance as Gains. This is a deviation from her role as teenage Shauna Shipman in Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson’s Yellowjackets. Hardy describes Ellie as “warm, kind, [and] loving”, but I would also add smart, considerate, and devoted. This is somebody one should have by their side solely for the fact that their chances of survival will be higher.
Keen has gotten my respect since her role as Laura/ X23 in James Mangold, Scott Frank, and Michael Green’s Logan, a whole nine years ago, come next month. Her ability to take on big-name projects has been a blessing. (I haven’t yet seen Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte, but I hear it’s cherished widely by diehard Star Wars fans.) As Willet, the actor is no stranger to lovable leads. She keeps the same disposition throughout and does it well. With that in mind, Keen’s expressions of grief and despair in the final act are great. She has a sequence that is utterly awesome, and I hope more people get to see it.
Yang isn’t my top choice for best supporting character in this decade of horror. Then again, I appreciate a lot of what is brought to the table. The scene that he shares with Keen in bonding over how to approach a high school crush is sweet. Taylor’s interaction with Browning at the harvest festival lends credence to teen dramas, namely the John Hughes of it all. Their moment is heartbreaking and heart-shattering, but he perseveres.
Final Thoughts on Whistle
I hate to use the term, derivative, but Whistle leans a little too close to those that came before it to suggest otherwise. While I don’t suppose it’s a straightforward average movie, the predictable script and even the decision to direct it make calling it immaculate a tough one. Personally, I’m ambivalent. There are a couple of bloody kills that I do love in the back half. On top of that, there is a spine-chilling message that cannot be stated and can only be insinuated. If Death can reach one young person in today’s society, then imagine how it disperses and affects an entire room full of them.
Whistle comes to theaters this Friday, February 6th, and is expected to stream via Shudder later this year!
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