Meredith Williams
Arts and Entertainment Editor
When I first saw the trailer for this movie, my first thought was, “This looks a lot like that one other movie I saw.” But that can’t be right. The original came out in 2022. Are they already remaking it? The answer is yes. Yes, they are.
Like many others, I was initially puzzled by the decision to remake Speak No Evil. The original, released in 2022, was mainly in English, so it seemed more logical to give the Danish film more attention. However, as the trailer played what felt like five thousand times this summer, I found myself eagerly anticipating the movie’s release. Despite the odds, this remake not only delivers but also pleasantly surprises.
Speak No Evil follows a couple and their daughter who are invited to the countryside by a family they recently met. What starts as a typical vacation becomes increasingly strange as their hosts reveal violent tendencies. James McAvoy shines as Paddy, delivering a captivating performance filled with chaotic energy. This could be one of McAvoy’s best performances, as he brings a lot of nuance to his character, who isn’t as straightforwardly evil as the trailers suggest. He’s like a dog playing with a new toy and testing how to tear it apart.
Mackenzie Davis is a solid counterpart to McAvoy, though her character isn’t likable. Meanwhile, Scoot McNairy’s Ben is incredibly frustrating, as his constant inability to stand up for himself or his family makes him an unbearable pushover. This is intentional but makes it hard to care about the couple’s fate. Fortunately, Davis’s character becomes more sympathetic as Ben grows more irritating, making her actions feel almost justified—though not entirely. Some questionable character choices remain but seem deliberate, even if frustrating. Ultimately, the film’s conclusion was satisfying enough that it’s hard to criticize the logic of how it got there.
In the original film, the characters primarily served as stand-ins for the events, lacking much personality beyond their roles as a husband, wife, and child. However, in this version, the characters, especially Paddy and Ciara, are much more developed. They don’t come across as evil from the start, which allows the audience to connect with them on a deeper level. The children also benefit significantly from the script changes, getting moments to shine.
Writer/director James Watkins delivers a visually stunning film that maintains a steady pace. He skillfully recreates certain scenes while showing restraint in others, with all the changes enhancing the story and creating a more engaging narrative. Watkins masterfully builds tension by lingering on shots, embracing the idea that what’s unseen is often scarier.
Despite the trailer revealing a lot and the film staying relatively faithful to the original, there are notable differences, particularly in the third act, which changes the tone of the entire narrative. While some moments are uncomfortable, everything ties together compellingly.