WHISPER

Max has just been released from prison and is trying to rebuild his life away from illegality with his partner Roxanne. All doors are closing on him, and for Max, the only way to get by is to get involved in a kidnapping, commissioned by a mysterious individual. The target is the wealthy Sandborn family, from whom Max and his accomplices kidnap the son David, on the very day of his eighth birthday. Taking refuge in a chalet among the snowy woods of Maine, the four criminals will soon realize that David is not a defenseless child, but a creature with terrifying powers. Announced long ago but then mysteriously postponed, "The Breath of the Devil" now arrives in theaters, a supernatural thriller that is frankly avoidable. The directorial debut of advertising executive Stewart Hendler is the typical flimsy TV movie thrown somewhat brutally into the hands of the newcomer of the moment, perhaps with the awareness that it would be difficult to pull anything really appealing out of it even in the hands of a veteran of the genre. That said, there is an interesting idea at the core of Christopher Borrelli's script, and it is precisely the introduction of Evil disguised as innocence involved in the plan of someone who would make Evil his profession. The role reversal that allows for fun with the reversal of roles, albeit overused in cinema, had here found an interesting variation, only that the point of interest is practically ruined by the entire evolution of the story. In fact, what really doesn't work in "The Breath of the Devil" is the pedestrian screenplay that borrows heavily from what has already been done, adding only nonsense that makes the story fall into predictability and unintentional ridicule. The choice to immediately turn over the cards by explicitly revealing the demonic nature of the child is an unforgivable misstep, capable of throwing away a potential thriller development played on the ambiguity of the nature of the kidnapped. Instead, nothing is left to the viewer's imagination, and the story immediately proceeds with pitch-black stares, mind-reading, and brainwashing, premonitory drawings, protective wolves, and gusts of wind that lead directly to a final explanation as confusing as it is pompously ridiculous. So is every little phrase (and there are many, I assure you) of the angelic child who appears unnaturally always calm, even when threatened with death, spouting phrases with an effect meant to emphasize more and more insistently his malevolent nature, as if the viewer were treated on par with a handicapped child in need of constant confirmation (an example: one of the kidnappers says "<" and the child responds "<" a phrase already heard in "30 Days of Night"). Absolutely wrong, then, is the finale under the banner of moralistic goodwill, unworthy even of appearing among the "alternative endings" of the DVD. In addition to the odious child, played by a boring Blake Woodruff ("Cheaper by the Dozen") who tries to imitate Damien from "Omen - The Presage" (especially the 2006 remake, from which he even steals the clothing!), the rest of the characters, and consequently the cast itself, leave much to be desired. All the characters are described superficially, settling for simple sketches: there is the protagonist who performs bad actions but is fundamentally good and eager for redemption; his girlfriend who has made mistakes in the past but now dreams of being a loving mother; the violent accomplice; the traitorous accomplice; the most unlucky policeman in cinema history... this kind of thing. The cast is one of those really weak ones, just think that the entire Italian marketing campaign was built on the presence in the film of Josh Holloway, known to the public SOLELY for his role as co-protagonist in the TV series "Lost". Holloway, who here plays the ex-con Max, is a good actor but here seems clearly out of his element, as does Sarah Wayne Callies (who comes from "Prison Break"), also quite good but not suited to her character. In a supporting role, among many anonymous faces, there is also Michael Rooker ("Henry: Portes sanglantes"; "Slither"), unmotivated and thrown into the mix without a reason of his own, as often happens to him lately. The only thing I feel like saving is the beautiful photography of the Carpenterian Dean Cundey, capable of greatly enhancing the snowy settings by creating frequent contrasts between the pristine white of the snow and the black of the trees, the wolves, and some objects of the set (natural and not). Director Hendler also shows a good hand behind the camera, especially in some movements and aerial panoramas, but perhaps it is better to wait for his next film (the horror "Soronity Row") for a judgment of "style". Therefore, frequent yawns, a scratch on the backside, some derisive giggles: these are the attitudes that a film like "The Breath of the Devil" can generally arouse in the viewer. Definitely to be avoided. Add half a pumpkin more.