Speak No Evil Review - A Bone-Chilling Experience

Speak No Evil is a bone-chilling experience, one of the only films in recent memory that can make even the most ordinary poolside and family holiday moments feel ominous and haunting, you will not forget this one. It will stay with you way past watching the film. Speak No Evil is not for the faint of heart, especially if you have children, James McAvoy’s performance is spectacular at making you feel uneasy and makes this a must-watch psychological thriller!

The film carries a significant theme and moral lesson, it’s crucial not to dismiss a gut feeling that something is amiss, even for the sake of being polite or adhering to social norms, sometimes the signs are there clear as day and in most cases, evil is not an obvious thing to spot in a person, it can be the nice couple you meet at an Italian Riviera.

This is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, Speak No Evil, a gripping psychological thriller from Denmark, now this time treated to an American reimagining of Speak No Evil. This new iteration, helmed by director James Watkins, features a star-studded cast including James McAvoy, Scoot McNairy, and Mackenzie Davis.

A Vacation Mistake, the first of many

While vacationing in Italy, an American couple, Ben and Louise Dalton (Mackenzie Davis), along with their daughter Agnes, form a friendship with a British couple, Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara, accompanied by their son Ant – why he is called that becomes clearer later on, who is unable to speak due to a condition known as ankyloglossia, as explained by Paddy.

Following their return home, Paddy and Ciara extend an invitation to the Daltons to visit and stay with them in their exquisite countryside home in the UK. Ben and Louise eagerly accept the offer and are thrilled upon their arrival to find a magnificent estate nestled within stunning surroundings, setting the stage for an exciting stay, or so they thought.

James McAvoy truly stands out in the film. His portrayal of an unhinged character in this psychological thriller is impeccable. Despite being the main antagonist, it’s his actions on screen that keep the audience captivated. Initially charming and pleasant, his character’s brashness ultimately becomes the greatest challenge for the Daltons.

At one moment in the film, there was a turning point, a no-going-back moment where had the Daltons stuck to the plan would not have endured more of Paddy’s erratic behavior, however in the film Agnes (Alix West Lefler) who is 11 years old, suffers from severe anxiety and has a plush bunny named Hoppy to help keep her calm, when she doesn’t she scratches herself aggressively. As you would expect throughout the movie, her anxiety escalates and starts to have a negative impact. At the same time, she demonstrates moments of resilience and unexpected intelligence when facing challenging situations. Parents will understand why they do what they do for their children.

Speak No Evil

Paddy and Ciara’s son, Ant, is portrayed by Dan Hough and did an amazing job, he is around the same age as Agnes. Due to his condition, he is unable to speak, read, or write, which makes communication challenging. This complicates matters as he attempts to convey something important to the Daltons, from the very beginning and the warning signs were there from the get-go, but like most of us, we sometimes don’t see the red flags until it is too late.

The way the cinematography is handled truly makes you understand what the Daltons go through, some of the scenes are very unsettling and send shivers down your spine. When the kids showcase their dance skills to ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ by Rednex playing in the background, this has never felt so discomforting given the context in which it’s used, the uneasy feeling gets compounded when Ant, begins to progress the story into why this is ultimately a vacation from hell for the Daltons.

If you’re in search of a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, “Speak No Evil” is precisely that.

Speak No Evil opens in Cinemas on Friday, September 13 – Review from a pre-screening at United International Pictures South Africa