by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s horror/thriller Whisper by Conor Soucy and Howling Hound Pictures.
Synopsis
When Elliot unexpectedly receives a mysterious invitation to a remote island, he is unknowingly lured into the sinister world of William Porter, a demonic entity with the power to distort time and reality.
The Good
Joseph: You’ll be hard pressed to find a recent independent horror film on a limited budget as rich in atmosphere and creative visuals as director Conor Soucy’s Whisper. The film carries a strong 1970s American indie horror vibe and plays the long game in attempting to disturb, rather than settling for jump scares. Viewers will often feel as mystified as main character William Porter (Samuel Dunning). He’s not the easiest protagonist to get behind, but Dunning’s fine performance helps viewers stay connected with the character and his bizarre journey. Ben Grant’s gorgeous cinematography captures Soucy’s imaginative framing and set pieces splendidly. The screenplay by Soucy and Colin Charles Dale does a nice job touching on both gothic horror and Lovecraftian dread without leaning too far into either style.
Mike: Soucy knows how to infuse a scene with tension and Whisper is filled with many of them - simple scenes like walking into a seemingly empty room to entering a half-filled bar carry with them a sense of foreboding.
The story is engaging, the viewer is given enough information to know what’s going on with a clue or indication of what might be coming next - all of which makes for some good storytelling.
The best part about this, though, was Dunning’s performance. This was the second (unplanned) film in a week that I’ve seen starring Dunning and, like he was in that first one (check out the review for Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox here), Dunning was very impressive.
The Bad
Joseph: Although there are certainly differences between the main character of Elliot Campbell in Whisper and Jack Torrance in The Shining, the parallels between the two characters and especially the supernatural bar scenes to which they lead feel a bit too reminiscent of those in The Shining. And though I mentioned attempting a 1970s indie horror vibe in “The Good” above, this approach also has its downside, as the story is quite vague at times. Messiah of Evil (1973), which seems to be a possible influence on Whisper along with The Shining, has a similar, though not exact, tone.
Finally, the “diabolical” distorted voice of the main villain is distracting and not always understandable, and this is a trope that I wish horror films would drop.
Mike: I felt like some of the more important plot points were left to the viewer to piece together which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but with what is ultimately a fairly simple plot it seems that elements were left vague simply to keep the viewer guessing. I don’t think Soucy and co-writer Colin Charlesdale needed to puff up said elements when the atmospheric settings and tense moments were enough to elevate the proceedings. The only other thing that bothered me was that some of the audio levels seemed to be a little too low in comparison to preceding or subsequent scenes causing me to miss out on some of the quieter dialogue.
The Verdict
Joseph: Whisper is an overall satisfying combination of occult horror and existential dread. Although never outright scary, the film is meant to unsettle more than being a terrifying experience. It hits those notes rather nicely, and is well crafted. Recommended especially for horror fans who are interested in weird tales, supernatural influences, and existential fear fare, and for those simply seeking something different.
Mike: Although not really my cup of tea as far as horror/thriller sub-genres go, I still enjoyed Whisper thanks to Soucy's ability to pull tension and a feeling of dread out of just about any scene. Couple that with Dunning's excellent work as protagonist Elliot Campbell and there's a nice 70s style supernatural tale going on here.
Whisper
Directed By: Conor Soucy
Written By: Conor Soucy and Colin Charlesdale
Starring: Rob Evan, Samuel Dunning, Tana Sirois, Samantha Hill, Dhane Ross
Run Time: 1h 30m
Rating: NR
Release Date: 2024
No trailer was available as of our screening