Netflix's new "fantastic" crime thriller jumps straight to top of trending chart

Netflix's newest crime thriller has stormed to the top of its streaming chart just a few days after being added to the service. The Whisper Man boasts a heavyweight cast led by Robert De Niro, Adam Scott and Michael Keaton.

The film follows recently widowed novelist Tom Kennedy (Scott), who moves to his wife's hometown with his young son, just as the police launch an investigation into a child's abduction.

As the police link the abduction to infamous serial killer the Whisper Man, Tom's son ends up being the next victim.

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When Tom is drawn into the investigation, he reunites with his estranged father, the detective who originally captured the killer.

The film was adapted from Alex North's 2019 novel of the same name and sees Marvel directors Anthony and Joe Russo, serve as producers.

Its stacked cast also includes Michelle Monaghan, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Will Brill and Acston Luca Porto.

The Whisper Man has so far been a big hit with viewers, with one IMDB user describing it as an "absolutely fantastic edge of your seat thriller."

Another wrote: "The Whisper Man is an outstanding thriller that grips you from the very first scene and never lets go. The suspense builds masterfully, layered with powerful performances and a genuinely haunting atmosphere that stays with you long after the credits roll."

And a third added: "The Whisper Man is the kind of thriller that understands that fear does not always have to come from what we see. Sometimes, the most disturbing element is what we hear-or what we think we hear."

Critics have also given the film favourable reviews, with Empire writing: "A Netflix serial killer thriller that’s – whisper it! – actually pretty good, with a heavyweight cast that brings greater heft to solid if forgettable material."

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Geek Vibes Nation wrote: "A slightly uneven but atmospheric mystery thriller that is spotlighted by a standout cast and one particularly spine-tingling performance."

Meanwhile, Variety added: "The Whisper Man is out to chill your bones for a night, not linger in them for life, and that’s okay: The enjoyable turn-of-the-century diversions it recalls weren’t classics either, but we remember them fondly for doing the job."

The Guardian was less favourable in their review, writing: "I was hoping for a destination a little more deranged or vaguely surprising, the film making a silent promise that we’re hurtling toward somewhere wildly unexpected before dumping us in a ditch instead."

The Whisper Man is now streaming on Netflix.

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Stephanie is a freelance news writer, who previously covered WWE and AEW for Digital Spy.

After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.

Outside of her work at Digital Spy, she writes about pop culture, with a special focus towards Irish media and how it intersects with politics.