Long before Alex North’s mystery novel even hit shelves, it was already bound for the screen. Such was Anthony and Joe Russo‘s ardor, they secured the rights through their production company in 2018 – all while Avengers: Infinity War was all the rage. 

Obviously, that swiftness paid off. Netflix picked up the project in 2022, with New Zealand filmmaker James Ashcroft attached to direct in 2023. By 2025, production commenced, with Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer penning the screenplay. 

Top-billing Robert De Niro feels timely, especially with Taxi Driver turning 50 this year. But, expect no trace of Travis Bickle. And, truth be told, he’s technically second fiddle here as retired detective Peter Willis. 

It’s Adam Scott who leads this caper. The comedian plays a widowed novelist in search for his missing son. The disappearance couldn’t be more opportune, just when the titular child killer’s on the loose. Desperate, he reunites with his estranged father (De Niro), who once caught the killer’s predecessor. Because, apparently, the one at large is a copycat.

The father-and-son act doesn’t quite jell and neither do the rest of the cast. There’s Michelle Monaghan as the younger sleuth on the case and Hamish Linklater as a true crime junkie with a suspiciously macabre pastime. Michael Keaton’s also in the fray, as an inmate who holds vital information. Think Hannibal Lecter, but calmer and less cannibalistic. With all those A-List actors on board, you’d think the film would make loud impact. Instead, it lives up to its title.  

The film has all the scary set pieces, from graphic images to eerie voice recordings (taped over an En Vogue cassette, because, why not?). But it’s hard to savor the mix when the ingredients are under-utilized and the concoction, undercooked. As far as the Russos’ filmography is concerned, this is neither a major upgrade from 2025’s The Electric State nor an ideal pre-Avengers Doomsday detour. Come to think of it, their non-MCU outings do feel like Blips.