Horror Movie Review: Whistle (2025)

A supernatural horror film about a cursed Aztec death whistle doesn’t exactly sound exciting, does it? Written by Owen Egerton and directed by Corin Hardy, Whistle stars Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Fairley, and Nick Frost.

It begins promisingly enough as we’re introduced to a high school basketball player who meets his grisly end when something supernatural sets him ablaze in the shower.

This is seen as a freak accident (yes, I thought that was dumb too), and sometime later, we’re introduced to ‘new to town’ wannabe outcast, Chrysanthemum (Dafne Keen), or Chrys for short. She inherits the boy’s locker where she finds a creepy looking Aztec Death Whistle.

Blow it and summon your death.

Which basically means anyone who hears the whistle will be stalked by a manifestation of their destined death and nothing can stop it, seemingly. Chrys, alongside her love interest Ellie (Sophie Nélisse), her cousin Rel (Sky Yang), and a few others, are unlucky enough to hear the whistle blown. Now, they must try and find a way to put a stop to the supernatural forces behind the whistle.

It’s not a terrible concept, even if it lacks originality, as it borrows heavily from the likes of Final Destination. However, whereas that franchise knows how to have fun with it, Whistle is far too serious. Outside of some garishly gory deaths. Something that does entertain, but feels at odds with the drama and mystery elsewhere. Whistle has a lot of flaws and odd tonal shifts is one of the more significant ones.

Another is the characters, in particular the leads. In an attempt to make Chrys ‘different’, the writing turns her into a parody of that very thing. She is every outsider character ever, except the film doesn’t really try to push that too hard either, as she holds her own against the ‘bully’ characters (half-arsed also) meets Ellie, falls in love, and steps into the hero role quickly. Thankfully, Chrys does have some chemistry with Sophie Nélisse’s Ellie, which at least gives the latter something to do.

Then there is Rel, who might be the most unlikable character in the film written to be sympathetic. It’s absurd and there’s nothing an actor can do save such horrible writing.

Bad characters in a supernatural horror about death coming to claim your soul isn’t necessarily a problem though as Final Destination proved time and time again. Except, Whistle isn’t fun, and a lot of these characters are given so much screen time. You’ll be begging everyone to shut up and for the entity to hurry up and kill them, but they just won’t. Whistle is a long film and you’ll feel that runtime.

Shorter and sharper, and we’d have something here. Especially as, visually, the film looks good and there are some creative set pieces. Strangely, the visuals are often where the film goes over the top, which again, feel at odds with the serious supernatural story being told.

By time it reaches its climax, it’s a film that has well and truly overstayed its welcome and no amongst of angst can change that. Although I will admit to being left with a devilish smile on my face courtesy of the very last scene. It’s just a shame that it was the only time I felt like smiling while watching this.