The most unsettling yet satisfying cinematic experience.
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As kids, we were always taught to not talk to strangers. But then also comes the lesson to be kind to strangers. Whether that necessarily translates to being nice and courteous would be entirely up to the individual and there really is no saying if it’s right or wrong. In the case of Speak No Evil, it addresses the ethical dilemma through a thrilling exploration of potential consequences of one’s over-politeness and trust in the wrong hands.
Based on the 2022 Danish film of the same name, Speak No Evil sees American couple Ben and Louise Dalton and their daughter Agnes on vacation where they meet a charming British family – Paddy, Ciara and their non-verbal son Ant. The Brits invite the Americans to spend the weekend at their idyllic country estate where what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.
Paddy (an unhinged James McAvoy at his absolute finest) explains that Ant (a commendable Dan Hough) can’t speak because he was born with a malformed tongue but the latter eventually reveals the truth to Agnes (Alix West Lefler) when he brings her to Paddy’s secret hidey-hole and reveals the menacing truth behind the British couple’s facade.
It doesn’t take a lot for one to realise not everything is peaches and cream on this weekend getaway but the build up to its satisfying end is a slow burn, leaving you feeling unsettled with your anxiety levels gradually spiking for the entirety of the film’s runtime.
For the most of it, Paddy is only seen as an alpha male-type making the decisions for everyone and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) his loyal companion. His true state is slowly unveiled as the film progresses but the most telling was when he unrelentlessly belittles Ant in the company of the Daltons and his obvious attempts at preventing them from leaving after he realises they may be on to his and Ciara's con.
In comparison to the unified British pair, Louise (a wonderful Mackenzie Davis) serves as the more reserved half of the American couple, finding herself in this harrowing situation all because her spineless shell of a husband (a perfectly meek Scoot McNairy) keeps giving in to the more dominant male. What’s interesting about this dynamic is how it pushes the boundaries on gender expectations in a genre film, showing Louise stepping up to take charge when Ben has a breakdown over putting his family in danger.
You’d think if the Daltons were a tad more assertive, they could just leave the moment they sensed something was off (there were many!) and they almost do, if it weren’t for Agnes’ emotional support doll they left behind. Usually at this point, viewers would focus their resentment on the young girl for her childish behaviour of insisting they go back for the doll instead of avoiding putting her family in danger but she is otherwise a seemingly smart girl – wise enough to fake a period to get her mother alone – which is a rather rare trope for a child in a horror film.
One gets a sense director James Watkins’s version seems to rely on audience not having seen the original and opting for a more marketable remake where the brutality and shock factor are visibly toned down though both films still share the same core theme. Being a remake, Speak No Evil doesn’t offer much new to the genre than the original already has but it does its best at trying to be fresh. It also wouldn’t have worked as well as it had if it weren’t for its brilliant set of cast to carry it.
We’ve seen the range on McAvoy’s talent before (taking on multiple roles in 2016’s Split) so it should come to no surprise with what he does with his antagonistic character here – brilliantly delivering charm and rage with pure machismo. He commands the screen with his all-consuming presence that you’ll almost forget anyone else exists if it weren’t for their equally strong supporting performances that both compliments and amplifies McAvoy’s. It should be noted that as terrifying as Paddy is, Franciosi’s turn as his partner-in-crime is equally as sinister, especially in her demure and unassuming state. Louise even tries to reason with her as a fellow female and mother before it is revealed that Ciara is actually the reason behind the couple’s crimes in the first place.
Speak No Evil is a suspenseful thriller that tests your patience and questions your ability to get the hell out of dodge the moment you spot a red flag. The edge-of-your-seat intensity this film offers is best experienced at the cinemas.
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