Speak No Evil (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A family invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, go from a dream vacation to a psychological nightmare.

My Take – Released in 2022, the Christian Tafdrup directed Danish psychological horror thriller ‘Speak No Evil’, which co-wrote with his brother Mads, managed to impress by its effective handling of suspense and the tension that hinged on what it would take for its protagonists, a couple with a near-pathological aversion to conflict, to flee a weekend visit to an increasingly ominous Dutch family they met while on vacation.

And who could forget its brutal and upsetting ending that left behind a strong but bitter after taste. But of course, despite receiving ample critical acclaim the final product was also too bleak and upsetting to ever be a mainstream success, leaving behind a really compelling idea to explore somewhere in the future.

Now two years later, an American remake is here, which surprisingly instead of following the routine of a retelling manages to be not only satisfying but also succeeds in becoming its own thing, outside of the shadow of the original.

Backed by Blumhouse and directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake, The Woman in Black), the film offers a new twist to the original. A different setting on an English farm which boasts a different type of scenery from the original as well as a bunch of characters that actually deserve to be rooted for.

Sure, the remake struggles to get to the unhinging and downright terrifying moments from the original, yet director Watkins manages to deliver a chilling, tense film that brings his own vision to this story and makes it as interesting as the Danish work, even if he uses a more direct and familiar language to the audience.

However, James McAvoy is the shining centerpiece of the remake and it is worth seeing for his performance alone. A loud and brash portrayal of volatile and fragile masculinity; a horrible character but with just enough charm and charisma to keep you from despising him.

The story follows an American family of three – a cuckolded dad Ben (Scoot McNairy), a high-strung mom Louise (Mackenzie Davis), and their anxiety-riddled tween daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler). Despite the beauty surrounding them, there is very clearly an unspoken tension lurking between this threesome.

And so when they spy a robust and happy-making English family of three across the pool at the same villa—a loud dad Paddy (James McAvoy), a much younger mom Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their quite boy Ant (Dan Hough) who seems to be roughly the same age as Agnes—they feel shabby by comparison. And yet find themselves extremely drawn to them as well. If those people can have such fun here maybe we can catch some of it, they seem to be thinking.

Soon, the six bond, spend some good time and go their separate ways. Sometime later, Ben and Louise find themselves slipping back into their unhappy routines that is until they receive a postcard invite from Paddy asking them to visit his farm in the remote English countryside. Though, it seems absurd, Ben and Louise end up accepting and what seemed like a peaceful and friendly weekend trip soon turns into a deadly nightmare.

Much of the second and third act of the remake goes exactly the same as it did in the original, with the small niceties of human relations playing their roles. Here, Watkins’ direction manages to incorporate several other qualities that help add to the solid core they are bringing. Most importantly, the American family is very likable and very realistic when it comes to some of the more tense scenes of threat, you do really sympathize with them in general and throughout most of the runtime you do also get to see some of what their views are on the other English family.

At first they think it’s a new way of bonding with their new home but as the film progresses there perspectives slowly change and it makes you think if they will ever recover from the horrific things they have witnessed so far which does add a level of clarity and dread to the film’s dark tone. While getting most of the aspects on point from the 2022 film of the same name, the remake does create a good level of tension while exploding into a violent climax which is a good aspect regarding the film’s strong point as a psychological horror flick.

Yes, some will cite the ending of the remake as less courageous, due to the bias it takes in the final stretch, being more direct in the way it reconciles horror with the plot, but I think that in both films, the creative decisions make total sense with what was presented throughout the narrative.

Performance wise, James McAvoy proves to be a powerhouse again. His turn blurs the lines between being charismatic and charming to unnerving and sinister. He drives the film well and, with the help of strong dialogue that fits well into the setting, delivers that psychotic edge to another masterful level. Scoot McNairy fits well with the dramatic tones, crafting a relatable character. Mackenzie Davis is quite solid and is a massive part of the stunning display of tension.

Aisling Franciosi plays her character with the right amount of mystery, intrigue, and an ambiguous to keep things exciting. Nevertheless, Dan Hough and Alix West Lefler are the real MVPs of the film. On the whole, ‘Speak No Evil’ is an intense and effective remake that manages stand on its own, bolstered by yet another James McAvoy showcase.