A predictable but engrossing 'The Whisper Man,' Lego is at it again

George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon JournalWed, September 2, 2026 at 10:01 AM UTC

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Despite the fact “The Whisper Man” can feel incredibly predictable, it doesn’t change the fact that it is a taut thriller that provides plenty of chills more than its share of thrills and is downright engrossing as Netflix delivers a piece of undeniable entertainment.

Based on the novel from Alex North, it also possesses a stellar cast that includes Adam Scott, Robert DeNiro and Michael Keaton.

Scott portrays recently widowed father Tom Kennedy, a writer who has been slowly slipping into the bottle since his wife’s death, so much so that he can’t see that he’s ignoring the needs of his son, Jake (Acston Luca Porto), a fact that eventually costs him.

He returns to his hometown seeking a fresh start, but it soon becomes a personal hell as Jake is kidnapped, the latest victim of a copycat serial killer called “The Whisper Man,” a sicko who stalks boys, and eventually strangles them.

The original killer Frank Carter (Keaton) has been in prison for years, so it couldn’t be him, right? As it turns out the detective that put Carter behind bars was Tom’s estranged father, Pete (DeNiro). After Jake’s kidnapping, a desperate Tom turns to his retired father, who has already been contacted for his expertise by the lead detective on the new case, Amanda Beck (Michelle Monaghan), for help.

Together they work the case and start to piece together what is happening with the case and while it eventually leads to a fairly obvious suspect, that fact isn’t enough to derail the film as director James Ashcroft manages to ratchet up the tension just enough to cause the hair to stand up on the back of your  neck.

But the absolute strength comes in watching the cast work together. DeNiro and Monaghan have a muted chemistry in their scenes and watching DeNiro and Keaton work together as a clear as they banter and forth with a provocative subtext at work.

Keaton is positively chilling as Carter. He’s playful, menacing and oozes malevolence. When looking at him work it’s unbelievable that he’s never won an Academy Award.

“The Whisper Man” makes for a perfect weekend watch.

Streaming: Currently on Netflix

Grade: B

“The Mandalorian” receives the Lego treatment

“The Mandalorian” has become one of the most popular entries into “Star Wars” Universe, thanks primarily to a cute and cuddly Grogu. Therefore, the Legoization of the characters makes perfect sense. Any time characters are adapted into Legoland the stories become slightly silly, satirical and thoroughly hilarious. "Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian" is not difference and features a host of individuals that have appeared through Mando and Grogu’s adventures together. This is no different and this 45-minute one off proves to be just as enjoyable as most Lego adaptation on par with “The Lego Batman Movie.”

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Streaming: Disney+, Wednesday, Sept. 2

Grade: B

‘The Gentleman’ returns on Netflix; Chad Powers is back

It’s a sorta, kinda slow week with new releases, not unexpected give the lead up to the holiday weekend. Here’s a look at what viewers can expect, but the highlight may be Netflix's "The Gentleman."

Sept. 2

“The Runner” (Prime Video)

“Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian” (Disney+)

Sept. 3

“The Gentleman” (Netflix)

“Chad Powers” (Hulu)

Sept. 4

“Mayday” (Apple TV)

“The Drop: A Snowfall Saga” (FX)

‘The Big Bang Theory’ leads streaming ratings roundup

“The Big Bang Theory” ended seven years ago, so it makes perfect sense that it leads in streaming overall. Here’s a guess: the massive hit that ran on CBS for 12 seasons is seeing those kinds of minutes thanks to the success of the spinoff series “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” the third sequel series in the franchise. That series, which streams on HBO Max, has already been renewed for a second season. Here’s a breakdown of the top five releases overall, in originals and movies for the week ending Aug. 2, according to Nielsen:

Overall

“The Big Bang Theory” (HBO Max) – 1.141 billion minutes

“Bluey” (Disney+) – 911 million

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” (Disney+ | Hulu) – 885 million

“House of the Dragon” (HBO Max) – 884 million

“The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare” (Netflix) – 864 million

Original

“The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare: (Netflix) – 864 million minutes

“Ransom Canyon” (Netflix) – 816 million

“Ride or Die” (Prime Video) – 786 million

“The Bombing of Pan Am 103” (Netflix) – 554 million

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV) – 446 million

Movies

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” (Disney+ | Hulu) – 885 million minutes

“The Super Mario Galax Movie” (Peacock) 777 million

“72 Hours” (Netflix) – 734 million

“Masters of the Universe” (Prime Video) – 588 million

“A Toxic Love Story” (Netflix) – 479 million

George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: A predictable but engrossing 'The Whisper Man,' Lego is at it again

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”