Here’s our review for “Speak No Evil” — the American remake that fails to live up to the original Danish film because this movie just plays it too safe….
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
Remakes are nothing new in Hollywood but “Speak No Evil” getting a greenlight for production just months after the original Danish film landed on American soil seemed a bit much. It was a curious decision considering the rave reviews that the original film from Christian Tafdrup received after he created a new standard for thrillers drowning in dread with a payoff at the end that left more than a few jaws on the floor.
But the original “Speak No Evil” was still largely a film adored by hardcore horror fans who count on a Shudder subscription over other streaming services like Netflix. The average movie goer more than likely didn’t hear about the Danish film from 2022 so director James Watkins decided he was going to take a stab at remaking the movie with his own twists and turns in store.
Perhaps the best move he made that quieted down the most rabid horror fans was casting James McAvoy in the lead role because anybody who has seen his work across films like “Split” or “Atonement” know what he’s capable of at his best. While Watkins obviously had to put his signature on the film, he actually consulted with Tafdrup as production got underway and then set out to make the film released in theaters this weekend.
“Speak No Evil” centers around an unhappy American couple named Ben and Louise — played by Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis — who moved to London for work but then shortly after arriving, the work dried up. So with Ben unemployed and Louise harboring ill feelings towards her husband for moving halfway around the world and then losing his job, they’re not in a good place in their marriage. So what’s the best possible solution? How about a vacation to Italy?
It’s there Ben and Louise run into another family led by Paddy (McAvoy), his doting wife Ciara — played by Aisling Franciosi after her breakout role in another horror film called “Stopmotion” — and their son Ant, who struggles to communicate due to birth defect to his tongue. Through dinners and conversations together, Paddy, Ciara, Ben and Louise grow closer and the vacation ends with a friendly invitation to come visit them at their home far away from the hustle and bustle in London.
The vacation and then returning home doesn’t do much to repair the damage done to Ben and Louise’s marriage but they receive a postcard from their new friends once again extending the invitation to come visit for a long weekend. Ben thinks it’s exactly what they need — because what unemployed couple doesn’t need a second vacation — and a very frustrated and clearly unsatisfied Louise finally decides to cave to her husband’s wishes so off they go to the west country.
When they arrive, Ben and Louise are stunned to see that Paddy and Ciara really do live out in the middle of nowhere but the friendly feelings between the couples are once again stoked after being reunited. Unfortunately from there, Louise starts getting a very uneasy feeling from her gracious hosts through a series of uncomfortable encounters that aren’t necessarily red flags to run away but she’s clearly just going along for the sake of attempting to appease her husband, who is the least confrontational person in history.
In many ways, “Speak No Evil” succeeds the most when copying many of the beats and situations that happened in the original but the remake actually finds a way to ratchet up the tension and uneasy feelings even more. The desire to say nothing that might offend their hosts puts Ben and Louise in several uncomfortable encounters — particularly when Paddy and Ciara start discussing the nuances and intricacies of their sex life. It’s both awkward and revealing because it’s pretty clear that Ben and Louise barely talk to each other about their sex lives much less with a couple they’ve technically known for a matter of days.
This film really is a slow burn that forces you to witness escalating incidents that wouldn’t necessarily make you bolt for the door but there are definitely moments where you’ll start to wonder why Ben and Louise are still sticking around. Once again here’s where the remake actually surpasses the original because the 2022 film effectively smacks you in the face with the kind of uneasy tension that would immediately force you to run screaming but McAvoy’s charm and Franciosi’s glowing smile are just inviting enough that you don’t quite know how bad this might end up for our lead characters.
There was never much doubt that McAvoy would shine in this role but it’s possible this might be his best performance to date. His version of a gleeful sociopath that constantly teeters on the precipice of coming completely unhinged is played to perfection.
Not that it’s a surprise at all but McAvoy really does steal the show.
But that’s not to say that the rest of the cast doesn’t raise the level of the performances in this film. McNairy plays a neutered husband to perfect and Davis as Louise is just overbearing enough that her attitude leaves you feeling kind of bad for Ben.
Here’s where the movie falls apart.
Without getting into spoilers — but if you’ve seen any of the trailers you already know this — “Speak No Evil” eventually reveals that Paddy and Ciara aren’t just gracious hosts seeking to make new friends. No, they have much more devious plans in mind for Ben and Louise and once that revelation comes to light, the cat and mouse game for survival begins.
What starts out as an exercise in tension eventually dissolves into the standard thriller that’s already been done a thousand times. It’s almost like Watkins went out of his way to transform his version of “Speak No Evil” into the most formulaic slasher film after spending the better part of 90 minutes making you feel like terror really could be waiting around any corner in this isolated farm house.
The final 20 minutes plays out in such predictable fashion that you’ll start to wonder if you haven’t already seen this movie before. It’s actually quite disappointing because up until the third act, the “Speak No Evil” remake actually found plenty of ways to improve upon the original thanks to the acting from McAvoy and company as well as some truly excellent story beats in the script.
But this film just refuses to take chances and ends up playing it safe rather than leaving you gobsmacked and glued to your chair unable to describe what you just witnessed — and that’s exactly the gut punch that the original delivered.
“Speak No Evil” gets so much right that when the ending goes wrong you might find yourself on a picturesque hill screaming into the ether just wishing this remake took a few more chances.
“Speak No Evil” gets 2.5 out of 5 Tarmans
