Shortly after watching Speak No Evil, I went back to my original review of the 2022 Danish horror sensation of the same name directed by Christian Tafdrup, and noticed that at least part of my reaction to this version was the same as it was then: it doesn’t pay to make new friends as an adult. The biggest difference most people are going to experience going into this 2024 version from adapter/director James Watkins (Eden Lake, The Woman in Black) if they saw the original is knowing that the family our protagonists meet on vacation are dangerous from the get-go. In the Danish version, they just seem outgoing, perhaps a little unaware of certain boundaries, but mostly fun and charming. So an invitation to come visit them down the road at their country estate doesn’t seem that unusual.
But in the new version, when we meet Brits Paddy (the exceptional James McAvoy), wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their mute son Ant (newcomer Dan Hough), we can tell they are problematic because we’ve either seen the original film or seen the trailer countless times. So immediately, we’re on edge, which is not where this story should begin. We eventually find out that the American family is going through some things. Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) moved to London for a job that disappeared the minute they were settled in; wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) gets some work but not enough to keep them afloat for much longer; and their 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) is a bundle of nerves who can’t live without her stuffed rabbit. They all meet on vacation, and the Daltons accept the hospitable invite to the country, which is when things take a turn.
Both versions of the film are about how being polite (and even woke) about hurting other people’s feelings can get you into all sorts of trouble. More than once Louise and Ben decide to leave, but not wanting to appear rude or ungrateful leads them to hang back and get exposed to more danger as the film goes on, mainly because the alpha male in Paddy gradually rises to the surface as the film goes on.
There’s also an added element about the Dalton marriage that involves Louise having exchanged sexual texts with another man, leaving Ben uncertain about the trust between them. This addition puts the burden on Louise to prove her commitment to the marriage at various point during the film, usually involving violence. This seemingly minor change bumps Davis into something of a co-lead role with McAvoy, which I don’t hate, especially since McNairy plays the put-upon husband so convincingly that it’s hard to argue with the choice.
For those who haven’t seen the original film, I’m guessing you’ll enjoy Speak No Evil, primarily because this remake doesn’t commit to the unspeakably dark ending that the 2022 version had. This new version is more conventional, predictable, and will likely satisfy American moviegoers just fine. Plus, why remake a film at all, if you’re just going to do so beat for beat? Changing a few things here and there makes sense, but as a result, the ending feels soft.
I still think this version of Speak No Evil is a well-made movie; every one of the performances are strong, especially McAvoy and Davis; and the messages may seem counter-intuitive at times, but there may be something to them. Even with the altered climax, the film still finds ways to be especially savage and violent, even amid so much conventionality. It’s a mixed bag for me, but if you feel like you might be leaning toward seeing it and haven’t seen the original, do yourself the world’s biggest favor, and check that one out instead.
The film is now playing in theaters.
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