ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — I wouldn’t say that “Whistle” blows, but it definitely doesn’t sing. Corin Hardy’s horror flick is a love song to its genre, but too much of a clunky retread of other “death curse” flicks to feel fresh. Read our review below.

“WHISTLE” (2025, 100 min., directed by Corin Hardy)

“Whistle” stars Dafne Keen as a troubled teen who discovers an “Aztec death whistle” in her locker on her first day at a new school. When she and a group of other teens blow the whistle, specters of their future deaths come to play Grim Reaper. Bloody chaos ensues.

In many ways, you have seen this film before. The deadly premise of “Whistle” evokes everything from “The Ring” and “Final Destination” to modern spins on the subgenre, like “Smile.” What those movies are missing that “Whistle” has, however, is a magically indestructible malevolent death whistle.

In addition to its titular device, “Whistle” is fascinating for its odd, heartfelt homages. In several scenes, Hardy incorporates references to his filmmaking idols with the grace of clumsy product placement. In fact, he literally turns his favorite directors into products. Lingering shots feature references to horror icon David Cronenberg on a pack of “Cronenberg cigarettes,” thriller master Park Chan-wook on a can of “Wook juice” and, for some reason, Andy Muschietti, director of the 2017 remake of “It,” on a case of “Muschietti cigars.” The exception to the product rule is Mr. Craven, a walking wink at Wes Craven played by English comedian Nick Frost.

Watch the trailer for “Whistle”

There are other parts of “Whistle” that beg credulity. Did I mention Keen’s character is named Chrysanthemum? “Chrys” for short? It would be funny, and perhaps should be funny, if not for Hardy’s hardy commitment to a deathly serious tone.

In “Whistle,” anyone who hears the sound of the instrument is subjected to their future death, personified by a ghoulish mirror version of themselves. For example, one character is a smoker who will eventually die of lung cancer. His cancer-addled future self materializes to grab him by the lungs and shrivel him up. One youthful gal will die of old age. “Whistle” has her haunted by an evil hag.

Unless you approach the material with a sense of irony yourself, the deaths are not intentionally funny, or even very interesting. There is a notable outlier involving a car crash, but otherwise, when each character meets their grim demise via a poorly-rendered CGI monster, I felt bored by the banality, not bewitched by creativity. Part of the fun of a Wes Craven, David Cronenberg or “Final Destination” movie is the self-aware silliness of the slayings. Despite putting itself in direct conversation with those films, “Whistle” is a little too sincere.

Additionally, even at 100 minutes, the movie is over-stuffed. Early on, Chrys encounters Noah, a local youth pastor played by “Wednesday” alum Percy Hynes White. As though an evil whistle of death wasn’t a big enough idea on its own, Chrys quickly learns that Noah is a nefarious peddler of drugs to neighborhood children, information presented as public knowledge. Why the police do not deign to apprehend the villainous vicar is left to the imagination. In the meta of the film, Noah is presented as a real-world alternative to evil whistle ghouls. In practice, he feels tacked on, obvious and underdeveloped. To wrap it all in a bow, even as far as the performance goes, White is just alright.

One thing “Whistle” does have going for it is its naturalistic queer representation. Many of the movies “Whistle” emulates are aggressively heterosexual and, more often than not, leering. Chrys, meanwhile, is a queer character, and sparks a romance with Ellie, played by Sophie Nélisse. Their relationship is the most convincing part of the film. Nélisse and Keen may not be working with much, but they bring a real charm to the screen through their easy chemistry.

“Whistle” has a couple of high notes, but most of it falls flat. I would recommend it as a fun watch for genre enthusiasts, but if you haven’t seen “Final Destination,” start there instead.

Rating: 2.5/5