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Remaking an international horror sensation is a tale as old as time in Hollywood. In the past few decades, movies likeThe Ring,The Grudge, andFunny Gameshave found immense success adapting from creepy tales.Speak No Evil, coming to theaters from Blumhouse, Universal, and director James Watkins, looks to continue the trend. WithJames McAvoyshining bright from beginning to end, the thriller quickly embeds itself in your mind. While the EnglishSpeak No Evildoes not have the ambition of the 2022 film, it still effectively burrows in your mind. you may feel your skin crawl as the film progresses, helping buoy an exciting time at the movies.
Speak No Evil– The Plot
Looking to take a family vacation, Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) and wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) take their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) to Italy. However, the other guests in the villa bore the family and actively distract from their experience. However, when a new family arrives, their fortunes change. Paddy (McAvoy), his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their son Ant (Dan Hough) provide a lifeline. When the families hit it off, Paddy invites Ben and Louise to visit their farm in the English countryside. When they take him up on their offer, the Daltons quickly discover Paddy and Ciara hold far darker secrets.
James McAvoy delivers another stunning performance.
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It’s no surprise that McAvoy dominatesSpeak No Evil, but the trailers have honestly done him a disservice. While most of the marketing makes him look unhinged from the word go, McAvoy worms his way into your psyche early. He’s incredibly charming, perfectly wears his clothes, and easily generates laughs. It speaks volumes that you might consider joining Paddy on a vacation, even as you realize there’s a deep darkness within him that will ruin your day.
McAvoy’s franchise exploits, fromX-MentoIt, have not always provided him the best martial. Now, withSpeak No EvilandSplit, you have to wonder why he had not turned toward horror sooner. He is a perfect matinee icon, especially when paired with the excellent Franciosi. The two craft a hypnotic spell over the audience and their prey. Additionally, they feel like a blend of the worst PDA high school you have ever met, with a tinge of Bonnie & Clyde in them. Watching them work together is something to behold.
Aisling Franciosi should become a household name.
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While not many have experienced Franciosi’s prowess as an actress, she’s quietly developed an excellent filmography.Speak No Evilgives her the mainstream breakthrough role she’s deserved. Franciosi brings humanity to a character that seems fully unhinged. They’re not only struggling with their own grief and victimhood, but they’re an active participant in honeypotting. She’s charming and sweet to wives while hinting at promiscuity and sexual exploits outside of her marriage that might attract certain husbands. Franciosi handles the material with an electricity that matches McAvoy. The fact that she does not get blown off the screen speaks to her talent.
WithStopmotionreleasing earlier this year on Shudder andThe Nightengaleserving as a horrifying revenge film, Franciosi has proven adept at creating these multi-leveled characters. There’s something stunningly dark about the characters she plays and her willingness to own the violence inherent in the role. It comes across as natural banter inSpeak No Evil, and that fluidity helps the story feel real.
The rest of the cast brings their A-game as well.
Davis and McNairy continue their streak as two of Hollywood’s underappreciated talents. McNairy plays into a trope of a man, jealous and frustrated by life. We’ve seen his type before, butSpeak No Evildoes little to demonize him. He’s just imperfect. Meanwhile, Davis brings frustration and pathos out in what could be a very thin role. However, she separates it from standard fare by adding a physical intensity that highlights the best of her work – includingBlade Runner 2049andTerminator: Dark Fate. Davis’ ability to pull a couple of small background facts about her character and thread them throughout the performance makes revealing those details all the more rewarding.
The performances from Hough and Lefler are a huge win for Speak No Evil. There’s a version of this movie that gets undone by the child performances. While neither is remarkable, they also feel like children. Tuned the wrong way, these characters could feel annoying or frustrating. Instead, they actually feel like emotional beings trying to survive their parents’ messed-up mind games.
Should I watchSpeak No Evil?
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Anyone who has seen Christian Tafdrup’s 2022Speak No Evilknows that it features one of the darkest endings of any film of the last decade. With the 2024 version, Watkins puts the breaks on the story. In the final act, it swerves from straight remake territory, allowing Watkins to play with other horror and thriller elements.LikeStrange Darlingearlier this year, nothing is quite what it seems. Watkins puts just enough pepper on the story to make it feel unique.
While this is less effective than the original, it still lands the plane on the plot. It’s a decent little thriller that used to be the bread and butter of the early fall schedule (seeSingle White Female). It’s an excellent recovery for the “____ from hell” genre, which once delivered several low-key hits a year. Given the audience’s reaction to our screening, you will not be disappointed to join friends to catch this one.
Speak No Evil Review – An Intense McAvoy Lifts the Fun Thriller
Alan French
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :280
Alan French began writing about television and film by covering the Emmys and Oscar beats in 2016. Since then, he has written hundreds of reviews on TV and movies. He attends film festivals regularly. He is a Rotten Tomato-approved critic and is on the committee for the Critics Association of Central Florida.
