James McAvoy

Mackenzie Davis

Scoot McNairy

Aisling Franciosi

Alix West Lefler

Dan Hough

Kris Hitchen

Motaz Malhees

Jakob Højlev Jørgensen

Danny Bensi

Jon Romano

Lucy Bright

Junior Agyeman Owusu

Rob Pizzey

Tyler Ferguson

Scott P. Fraser

Antonio De Paola

Keith Madden

Ruth Antoine

Josip Siladi

Fabrizio Sciarra

Lara Karamardian

Julia Piker

Martin Conway

Saunder Jurriaans

Andrew Bonner

Susie Allnutt

Fran Cattaneo

Caroline Bowker

Leon Moralic

Jon Harris

Heather Basten

Igor A. Nola

Francesca Mauri

Clara Hargreaves

Brittany Fottrell

Pat Sweeney

Jakov Matija Kapetanovic

Mads Tafdrup

James Watkins

Christian Tafdrup

Beatriz Sequeira

Jacob Jarek

Jason Blum

Paul Ritchie

Mélissa Humler

Ray Kim

Timeri Duplat

Seth Crail

Tim Maurice-Jones

Jennifer Scudder Trent

Horror

Thriller

Speak No Evil

Blumhouse Productions

United States of America

English

husband wife relationship

manipulation

remake

disturbed

hopeless

weekend getaway

europe vacation

anxious

children in danger

psychological horror

disturbing

depressing

foreboding

gloomy

horrified

'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.

CinemaSerf

How many folks have you met on holiday and promised to go and visit when you all get back home? Well for me that is always a bit like ouzo or metaxa - best enjoyed in situ but never a good idea when the trip is actually over. The "Dalton" family are a bit down in the dumps. "Ben" (Scoot McNairy) has just relocated to London from the USA to find his job evaporated, wife "Louise" (Mackenzie Davis) is trying to keep things positive and their over-indulged daughter "Aggie" (Alix West Lefler) is an eleven year old joined (annoyingly) at the hip with her cuddly rabbit. They decide that they ought to take up the offer of spending a week with their new-found holiday friends and so head to the remote home of the ebullient "Paddy" (James McAvoy) and his family "Ciara" (Aisling Franciosi) and mute son "Ant" (Dan Hough). Initially it's all good fun - even if the sleeping arrangements leave something to be desired, but gradually it becomes clear that all is not as it might be amidst this idyllic setting. When young "Ant" manages to convey a menacing secret to "Aggie" then a distinct panic sets in amongst the visitors who conclude that a midnight flit is in order. Of course, it's not going to be that easy and adaptability and ingenuity become the family's buzzwords as things become a great deal more dangerous. It does come alive a bit for the last twenty minutes, even though these are all just a little far-fetched, but the rest of this is really little more than a showcase for McAvoy to shine. To be fair, he does turn in a decent enough effort eventually but we spend far too much time building to that denouement. The preamble, some on their holiday and most at their rustic residence all advances the storyline too slowly and meanderingly to sustain enough interest to carry it's almost two hour duration, and personally, I found the likelihood that these people would ever have become friends in the first place about as remote as his house. It's all watchable enough, but nothing very memorable I'm afraid.

Manuel São Bento

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/speak-no-evil-review-an-americanized-remake-for-better-and-worse/

"Speak No Evil may not reach the visceral depth of the Danish original, but it offers a more accessible, commercially appealing approach.

The changes in story and tone may divide fans of the 2022 psychological thriller, but there's something to be said about the effectiveness of the stellar performances - James McAvoy is mesmerizing - and the more complex dynamic between the central characters. The thematic exploration of politeness and the pressure to adhere to social norms, even when they conflict with personal safety, remains thought-provoking, though the credit here goes to the original.

For those who prefer a "softer" experience in terms of emotional and physical violence, this remake is a valid version that, while not surpassing the original, manages to deliver a distinct experience for the audience. After all, both stories can coexist and appeal to different viewers. Pick your favorite or, better yet, enjoy both."

Rating: B+

While Speak No Evil fails to keep you on the edge of your seat, no other performance this year will scare you as much or beat the dramatic performance of James McAvoy's unexpected transformation into the Incredible Hulk.

**One time watchable**

I had watched the original Danish version, so I already knew the story. Yet, I watched this to see how this was done.

I would say it was done better than the original version. But overall, the story is lame with many flaws. The little girl and her weak father is super annoying. But, if you don’t know the story, you can watch it one time. Popcorn movie.

Speak No Evil( 2024)

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A review by r96sk

Written by r96sk on Fri Sep 13 2024

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