Speak No Evil 2024

If there has been a more unnecessary film remake in recent years, I can't think of it. I think it's absolute insanity to take a Danish film from only 2 years ago, which is already 90% in English, and then remake it for a more American audience.

Almost everything about this (as was to be expected) was a downgrade from the original. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad film - there's a lot of 'enjoyment' to be had, namely with James McAvoy's steller performance, which I'd argue is the only thing this film has that was better than the original.

I didn't feel strongly about the other performances. They were mostly serviceable, but I found the child actress for Agnes to be rather disappointing in the role.

I loathed how they decided to totally change the ending, making for a much more happy resolution. The reason the first film worked so well for me, was because of how horrific of a viewing experience it was from start-to-finish. Changing the ending made the entire thing feel leagues below the original in terms of the lasting emotional impact. In fact, I think that the decision to change the ending will mean I forget about this film within a week or two, whereas I can definitely see myself still thinking about the original for a long time to come.

It also really bugs me how remakes always feel the need to dumb things down for the American audiences. Part of what was great about the original was that it left you with questions and wanting more. That's much less the case here, and I think it ends up making the script feel kinda dumb and lacking.

Please stop remaking films. Especially films that are already good and recent. I can see some arguments for remaking films that are 40 years old and no longer hold up, or films that were an adaptation of some other material but did not turn out well. But there is absolutely no need to remake films that hold up, are recent, or are already good. As I said already, the original was already primarily in English, not that a film being in a foreign language should be reason to remake it anyway.

I'd probably be generous and give this 6/10 if I hadn't seen the original. For the sheer unnecessary existence of this film, I'm downgrading it to 4/10. But for James McAvoy's performance, I'll meet in the middle.

'Speak No Evil' is supremely well done!

I felt unsettled from pretty much the get-go. That's because you can see the general direction that the movie is going to head, though that doesn't hampen the feeling of unease that is present all the way through. I did actually think whilst watching that the film was being a tad dragged out, though by the credits I was fully sold on what I had just seen.

James McAvoy is outstanding, I knew he was capable of portraying such a creepy and unhinged character from seeing some of his other work. 'Split' for one, though also, oddly, 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'; I always got creeped out when we first see his Mr. Tumnus.

Mackenzie Davis impresses as well, as do Scoot McNairy and Aisling Franciosi in fairness; youngsters Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough do well too. The final scene with the latter is quite something, I thought it was going to play out slightly differently (i.e. what Ron does to Carl, for any fellow 'The Walking Dead' fans) so to see it go they way it did was unexpected - but, without question, welcome.

I shall no doubt check out the Danish original at some point in the future.

“Speak No Evil” is one of those movies that grips you from start to finish, mainly because of its ability to turn something seemingly normal into a deeply unsettling experience. The premise is simple: a couple goes on vacation, but things quickly start to spiral out of control in a way that keeps you on edge.

The film’s real strength lies in how it builds tension. The story unfolds slowly, almost subtly, but every scene is loaded with a growing sense of discomfort. It’s not the kind of horror that scares you with obvious jump scares; it’s the kind that gives you a sense of unease that intensifies as the story progresses. A lot of this is thanks to the convincing performances. The characters convey a mix of paranoia and fear that seeps into the audience.

Of course, the slower pace might not be for everyone. Some people might feel the movie takes its time to get where it’s going, but that very slowness is what builds the tense atmosphere that defines the film. The cinematography and soundtrack also play a big role in maintaining that sense of discomfort, creating a setting that’s both beautiful and deeply disturbing.

On the flip side, if you’re familiar with the genre, you might find some of the plot developments predictable. Additionally, certain character motivations could have been explored more deeply, which would have added even more emotional weight to the story.

“Speak No Evil” is a psychological thriller worth watching. It might not reinvent the wheel, but it delivers a solid, engaging experience, especially for those who enjoy films that mess with your mind.

Who in their right mind accepts an invitation to stay at the home of a couple they met for just a few days on vacation? Well, that's exactly what Paddy takes advantage of to carry out his sinister way of life.

The latest film from studio Blumhouse (known for Get Out!, Black Phone, Split) and director James Watkins (with a lesser-known filmography) is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, in which a couple of psychopaths push a marriage in crisis to the limit.

The story is completely entertaining, although it falls into the fairly well-known premise of victims who have to do everything possible to survive the madness of their victimizers. But what makes this movie so enjoyable are the wonderful performances of the cast: James McAvoy (again with an amazing performance of a mentally unbalanced man, but very different from his role in Split), Aisling Franciosi as Paddy's also psychopathic partner, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy as the victim couple, and finally the two children Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough (he in his first film role); together they make the movie keep us on the edge of our seats the whole time.

Without a doubt, Blumhouse has become a benchmark for good movies, whether they are based on an innovative story, or they present a good conventional story added with excellent performances, as is the case of Speak No Evil.

Speak No Evil attempts to explore suspense with psychological horror tones, but even though it’s a remake of a Danish film, it feels overly attached to the formula of Straw Dogs (1971), both in its escalation of violence and in its use of the famous "Chekhov's guns." However, while Straw Dogs offered a solid narrative construction and steadily building tension, Speak No Evil stumbles in its development.

The main issue lies in its failed attempt to complete the monomyth structure, leaving unresolved plotlines that frustrate the viewer. What exactly did Ant’s cryptic message say? And even more puzzling, what happens to the man hired as a babysitter for the kids? Sadly, the answer is that this character exists merely to meet inclusion standards, appearing with only two lines of dialogue that add nothing to the plot. Still, the film has good intentions, but inconsistent execution keeps it from reaching excellence, even though the plot itself is acceptable overall. On the other hand, the moments of humor work quite well and help to darken the antagonist’s psychological profile. However, when the antagonist is unmasked during the climax, Paddy’s idiosyncrasies—so effective in unsettling the audience—suddenly vanish. Fortunately, this evolution works; it’s necessary and doesn’t disrupt the film’s pacing, although it may not have been the best choice. Luckily, the tension steadily builds in a homogeneous way, and despite its predictability, it manages to grip the audience perfectly.

Finally, while some shots are magnificent, others fall flat due to unnecessary blurring, like the scene when the two children enter the underground room. What’s the point of blurring the background in a semi-subjective shot?

In conclusion, Speak No Evil is a movie that works well for watching with friends or as a recommendation. However, for seasoned cinephiles, it may come across as a vague and unremarkable option compared to others.

It's impossible to divorce the American remake of Speak No Evil from its original which was only released 2 years prior to this one. In a lot of ways, the first half follows the original pretty closely. I don't remember exact details, but the general vibe and high level beats seem to be the same. This movie isn't as unsettling as the original in this portion of the movie, trying to be a little more sanitized overall. Still, the general concept of hell being other people is still present here. However, I sort of figured by the marketing campaign which really emphasized some of the horror elements that this movie was not shy about where it is heading, and indeed it telegraphs its second half quickly. The uncomfortableness of living with new people simply isn't as sharp because of it. There's also a bit of an attempt to focus on concepts of toxic masculinity here, and while I think some interesting things could have been done there with the interplay between Paddy and Ben, it just never really is able to breathe enough within the constraints of the plot. Of course, it's the second half which seems to have been the primary focus for James Watkins. While the original left this portion of the plot until the very end, lending itself to a dramatic and shocking ending, this movie instead spends a good portion of the runtime on it, resulting in a second half that feels drastically different. Now, for transparency, I do not love the ending to the original at all, finding it unnecessary and at odds with a lot of the themes built up throughout the rest of the movie. Because of that, I didn't particularly care if this movie changed things up, and it does so in spades. It ends up feeling a bit cliched, pulling from a lot of Western horror movies within this sort of subgenre. However, I found it fairly gripping, and James McAvoy is always fun to watch. I felt Mackenzie Davis is a very good actress, but this isn't her best work (though she's still decent). I also thought this portion of the movie was actually able to connect with some of the themes built up regarding family in a way that the ending of the original just never did.

Overall, this is very much a Hollywood remake of a foreign horror movie, but one that still manages to be engaging. While I think the first half is not nearly as strong as the original, I actually prefer this one's ending, even if it feels a lot more by the numbers (mostly because I do not like the ending of the original).