Horror and I have a long and complicated history, one that has left me a little wary of films that rely on jump scares and cheap tricks to make you feel things. In that regard, Diego Velasco’s The Whistler is the kind of horror film that works for me because it’s a supernatural folk horror story, but it’s less about the things that scare you and more about the things you feel.
The background of the story, based on Venezuelan and Colombian folklore, helps Velasco set the story, which he does very well. Technically, the movie shines. The vibes are exactly what they need to be, and Diane Guerrero’s performance makes the film feel grounded and real—even while dealing with the supernatural.
But if you come for big scares, this is probably not the right place for you. To be fair to the movie, it’s not really what it’s trying to do. But the horror genre has leaned into actually scary lately, so this movie can perhaps feel lacking in that regard if your expectations are set to something else. If they’re not, though, you might enjoy its somewhat slow pace and its attempt to tell a story about grief that, at times, feels like a story about what you believe and what society expects of you.
For me, the story of Sebastian (Juan Pablo Raba) and his wife Nicole (Diane Guerrero), who travel to a secluded sugarcane farm in Venezuela and encounter supernatural forces, worked very well. It is a little sluggish, perhaps, more than I would want any movie, much less one in this genre, to be, but it makes up for it with a profound exploration of loss.
One of the ways in which the film really succeeds is in building a sense of isolation. Some things are scarier because we never come face to face with them, and the movie’s cinematography, score and sound design effectively use light and the absence of it, as well as a very particular sound, to evoke a reaction in the viewer.
The Whistler is still a horror film, and as such, it must be judged within the expectations of the genre. I don’t particularly believe horror is just about the level of fear, but I still thought this movie did a more than adequate job at the kind of fear that’s more than just jump scare after jump scare. Leaving you feeling dread is often harder than surprising you once or twice with something that frightens you.
Is it enough for someone who watches a lot more of the genre than I do? Perhaps not. But it’s still a worthwhile attempt at telling a difficult story through the lens of horror.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of The Whistler? Share with us in the comments below!
The Whistler is available for digital rental or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Google Play.
