What’s It About
It is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name. A family invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, go from a dream vacation to a psychological nightmare.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
This 2024 version of “Speak No Evil,” based on the 2022 Danish horror film of the same name, is one of the few Hollywood remakes that outdo its predecessor. While this is still a slow moving film containing a major plot hole, this one is tighter in terms of suspense and much more satisfying in its resolution. The characters in this one are also much better fleshed out, answering many of the questions posed by– yet never answered in–the original “Speak No Evil.”. “Speak No Evil” is about an American family that makes friends with a couple while vacationing in Italy. Several weeks later, they accept an invitation to come and visit them at their out-of-the-way farmhouse. However, warning signs mount and the family realizes they might never escape. Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis) with their young daughter Agnes Alix West Lefler) meet Paddy (James McAvoy having the mischievous time of his life, balancing kindness with a sinister side waiting to come out) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) together with their nonspeaking son Ant (Dan Hough.) The Daltons are somewhat uptight and stressed and become won over by the more free-spirited, happy-go-lucky couple enough to take them up on their offer to visit their countryside home. The film is crafted skillfully and infused with a generous measure of suspense and an evocative atmosphere. James McAvoy’s performance as one of the antagonists is both unsettling and layered. Almost immediately, Paddy and Ciara begin to breach boundaries. Paddy often presents a seemingly reasonable justification, such as forgetting that Louise is a vegetarian, before urging her to try the roast first. These microaggressions continue unabated as Ben tries to justify some aspects as just cultural differences or an interesting indication of how relaxed they are. In contrast, anyone with an ounce of sense knows Paddy and Ciara are playing with this family like a cat with a mouse, but for reasons unknown. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter because these confrontations, along with one family’s complete refusal to stand up for themselves, become the fodder for pitch-black humor. Yet, this endangered family consists of some of the most insufferable and oblivious individuals imaginable. As the night wears on, young Agnes, who doesn’t sleep and carries a stuffed bunny around for security, She finds herself in bed with Paddy and Ciara during a surreal turn of events. Meanwhile, Louise tries to state her wishes and drag her family away firmly. Still, they are dragged reluctantly back into staying that little bit longer. Everybody’s threshold for the heady mix of hospitality and downright stupidity from these people will vary. But like its predecessor, the material works best when treated with a perverse sense of humor. Even if the trailers hadn’t been so spoiler-heavy that one could walk in during the third act and still predict everything that will happen, the action follows so many similar movies that it ultimately feels uncreative. Bleak as the ending of the original might have been, it worked well because, perversely speaking, one could say this is a family who gets, in essence, what’s coming to them. The same revelations remain here as Ant does his utmost to make Agnes aware that something is not quite right with Mom and Dad. James McAvoy is infectiously locked into the demented wavelength, not to mention built like a brick house, and terrifying here when the film calls for chilling aggression. Again, the entire ensemble is terrific. James Watkins maintains a respectable amount of suspense, making this a solid American imitation for about 75 minutes. Then, it all falls apart when Hollywood tries to force its will onto a movie where it absolutely does not fit into the story. There is a lot to like in Blumhouse’s Speak No Evil. If you have not seen the original film, you will likely be sitting at the edge of your seat, held firmly by the nature of the concept’s inherent insidiousness.
OUR RATING – AN IRRITATING 4.5
MEDIA
- Genre – Thriller
- Street date
- Digital – October 1, 2024
- Blu-Ray/DVD – November 19, 2024
- Video – 1080p
- Screen size – 2.39:1
- Sound – English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
- Subtitles –English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras
- Audio Commentary – Director James Watkins delivers a dry commentary track where he discusses making the film, its tone, the cast, and more.
- Nuclear Families (HD, 9 Mins.) – The cast and crew talk about their characters and what emotions they brought in their performances. On-set footage and way too many clips are included here.
- A Horrifying Crescendo (HD, 6 Mins.) – The same cast and crew talk about the tone and themes of the film with more behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film.
- The Farmhouse of Horrors (HD, 4 Mins.) – The cast and crew focus on the actual farmhouse that was all filmed on location and what went into sprucing it up.