The Wasteland Reviewer

Whistle (2026) Written Review

Who’s ready for a horror blast from the past? Horror films were quite specific in the late 90s and early 00s. Films like Final Destination would throw together a crew of hot young people, chuck a high concept idea their way, and watch them all get picked off one by one. These were not the greatest films in the annals of horror cinematic history, but they were fun, gnarly experiences at the movies. Nostalgia is a strong force and brings experiences like this circling around every so often. Director of The Nun, Corin Hardy, is channeling those vibes with his latest directorial effort Whistle. 

What is the story behind Owen Egerton’s script for Whistle? This has that classic “MacGuffin” horror with some type of curse item. In this case, we have an Aztec Death Whistle which looks really cool from a design perspective and brings about a concept with potential, it calls your death to you early. The narrative is quite familiar as it feels a bit too derivative of Final Destination. The film has a misfit group of teens who all hear the whistle and get picked off one by one. Simple yet effective. The film does take a tad too long getting to it (but it does benefit from an opening sequence and another early death that deliver gnarly deaths to hold the audience over. The characters don’t have the most amount of depth, but they do have an engaging and empathetic central lesbian romance as well as a side connection that cannot be. There are some elements of the script that feel like they weaken the experience including an older character who just shells out exposition while another random human antagonist is introduced who just keeps being forced into the film for convenience’s sake. This is the weakest part of the film, but it is still some solid foundation. 

Does Hardy make the most from behind the camera? The biggest selling point comes from Hardy’s passion for effects. The kills are bold, gnarly, and grotesque in a thriller and twisted kind of way. Hardy puts a lot of effort into making these kills feel impactful and effective for which he succeeds. There are some good, thought-out set-pieces that make the film feel more impactful. The tension building is not the most dynamic, but it is still effective. When the credits roll, the most important take away is that the horror elements work. Pacing-wise this film moves along well even if the set-up feels a little too stretched out for a film like this. The music is leveraged well to give the film some energy and personality (and it connects to the main character in a meaningful way, which is a bonus). If you are looking for a horror experience that delivers gnarly kills and some cool visuals, Hardy delivers that for sure. 

How does the cast navigate this crew of characters? You have a rock-solid cast of young performers who commit to this horror experience. Dafne Keen delivers an intense and quieter performance but feels genuine in the more exciting moments for her character Chrys. Sophie Neliessa is charming as Ellie, the young woman who catches Chrys’ fancy. The chemistry between Keen and Nelisse makes romance work as well as it does (with most of the characters being underwritten). Sky Yang is like a puppy dog with his joyful disposition, but he also sells the more intense turns in his character’s arc. Ali Skovbye and Jhaleil Swaby are not the standouts of the cast, but they have a few moments (near death) that deliver some impact. Percy Hynes White is saddled with an over-the-top, creepy character and he delivers that vibe for sure. Throw in some veteran presences like Nick Frost and Michelle Fairley and you have yourself a rock-solid cast (as stated earlier). 

Is Whistle a worthwhile horror experience? There have already been much stronger horror films in this young year, but Whistle is certainly a fun and gnarly diversion. This borrows from many places, but the cast and crazy kills give it enough merit to stand on its own. Hardy continues to show a good eye for scares and effects and hopefully will soon find a great script to match it.