Psst, The Whisper Man sucks

You could describe a less ominous title for a serial child killer than The Whisper Man, but few would manage to convey the experience of watching this underwhelming thriller. Its sometimes amusing lack of substance is accentuated by the sounds you can hear, making its shortcomings even more apparent. Created by the Russo brothers for Netflix, a platform that has become more threatening than the film's villains, The Whisper Man is grayer than The Gray Man and more predictable than The Snowman, who always leaves Mister Police with ample clues.

In this case, the clues are spoon-fed to the audience, while the police seem to have suffered a collective head injury. Under the direction of James Ashcroft, a trio of interconnected characters embark on a quest to find a murderer who has started abducting children in a manner similar to a previous killer, whose crimes were solved decades ago.

The story follows Amanda (Michelle Monaghan), a detective assigned to the current case; widowed author Tom (Adam Scott), whose son Jake (Acston Luca Porto) is kidnapped as soon as they move back to Tom's hometown in New Jersey; and retired detective Pete (Robert De Niro), the original Whisper Man investigator and Tom's estranged father, called back in for one final job - a personal one at that.

Although the writerly web connecting everyone and everything is clear, the film rushes through the story in a mere 105 minutes, leaving little time to develop a complex, multigenerational cat-and-mouse chase. Straining for paternal relationships, the narrative becomes strained and contrived, trapping a talented cast in an illogical story.

With Jake's imaginary friend, a clear red herring suspect, and a silly Whisper Man rhyme, the movie attempts to inject some humor into the proceedings, but it's only occasional laughs. Michelle Monaghan delivers a serviceable performance as the cop procedural, while Robert De Niro, despite being a bit worn out, still manages to bring some gravitas to his role.

However, it's Owen Teague who shines, putting on an impressive Anthony Perkins impression. The rest of the cast, on the other hand, struggle to make the most of their roles, with a plot that feels more like a hastily assembled airport novel than a well-crafted thriller. The film's generic and predictable setting is as bleak as the plot, and the intense emotions experienced by the characters are reduced to a dull murmur.

Director James Ashcroft and writers Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer have created a film that feels more like watching paint dry than an engaging cinematic experience.