This remake of the 2022 Danish film Speak No Evil does a lot more than the original, and leaves audiences much more fulfilled. It's a stylized, Americanized update that ultimately gives its viewers more entertainment and more hope than the off-puttingly bleak original. Combine this with a couple great performances, and director James Watkins delivers dread without a side of depression.
The story follows Louise (Mackenzie Davis), Ben (Scoot McNairy) and their young daughter as they are invited to spend the weekend at the home of Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), a charming couple they meet on vacation. The weekend takes a turn for the uncomfortable when it becomes clear that Paddy and Ciara might be crazier — and scarier — than initially believed.
In many ways, Watkins's Speak No Evil is a good revision. Issues the original film had — like the main couple completely lacking any survival instincts, the kids having no impact on a story that revolves around their wellbeing, and no one in the film having any character growth — are replaced by two very self-sufficient kids and a story that revolves around the push and pull of two couples' different views of the world. The biggest and possibly strongest change is making McAvoy's Paddy the source of everything sinister that happens in this gripping remake.
The overarching theme from the original film about the dangers of complacency and people-pleasing is somewhat lost at the expense of entertainment, but this works well for North American audiences and Blumhouse fans. Where the original feels like an arthouse piece meant to be suffered through amd experienced at the viewer's own risk, the remake strives to give audiences a bit of optimism and enjoyment. Things are less bleak and less subtle, leaving room for powerhouse performances from both McAvoy and Davis.
Speak No Evil isn't perfect, though. The addition of family drama that supports character development never turns into anything of substance for those characters' relationships, and, since it's a movie focusing on two families who don't see eye-to-eye, one would think those relationships would be at the heart of the action. Instead, they are constantly brought up, touched on, then tossed to the side for some borderline campy action. Amazing, if not ridiculous, campy action.
Speak No Evil ends in a third act that switches the tension from realistic anxiety to fear of watching the most preposterous deaths possible. It's best enjoyed with a couple of beers and a handful of good friends. The elevated heart rate brought on by uncomfortable situations and awkward conversations is rewarded by giggles and cheers as we watch Louise and Ben try to escape with their lives and self-respect intact — by any gory means necessary.