Overview
The American adaptation of the Danish film Speak No Evil (2022) is set to be released in 2024 and is now being referred to as Speak No Evil (2024). It is a psychological horror thriller.
The storyline revolves around the Daltons—Ben, Louise, and their daughter Agnes—who, while spending a vacation in Italy, meet a nice British family consisting of Paddy, Ciara, and their son Ant. Ant is a boy without a tongue and is unable to verbally speak, but shares a bond with Agnes that is both unsettling and sweet. Throughout the vacation, the families form a bond with Paddy and Ciara demurely asking the Daltons to visit them in their rural home in England.
In the United States, the storyline depicts Ben as unemployed, causing marital issues with Louise, his wife, who is dealing with the consequences of her cheating in the relationship. Ben and Louise view the trip to England as a chance to shift the family paradigm from the vacation in Italy.
When the Daltons arrive at the lonely farmhouse, they are received warmly yet the hospitality turns unsettling. Paddy and Ciara start behaving in increasingly unsettling and controlling ways. Louise is mocked for being a vegetarian, her personal space is invaded, and social norms are disregarded. The worst incident occurs one night when Agnes wakes up in bed with Paddy. Louise and Ben’s trust is shattered and they resolve to leave the next morning.
While attempting to leave, they discover Agnes left her favorite stuffed rabbit, Hoppy. Against their better judgment, they go back to get it, only to get pulled back into Paddy and Ciara’s demented snare. It quickly becomes evident they are being held captive as their car is sabotaged, and their phones go missing.
Worse still, young Ant escorts Agnes into a secret room in the barn that shows her photographs and luggage belonging to other families. The horrifying truth is revealed: Paddy and Ciara are serial predators who lure innocent families, mutilate by cutting out their tongues, and force them into silence and submission. Ant is revealed to not be the couple’s biological son, but one of their past victims.
Riot breaks out while the Daltons are attempting to escape. Ciara along with her accomplice Mike, Ciara’s partner, are murdered during the struggle. The climax depicts the intense moment where Paddy takes control of the gun, but Agnes is the one who gets shot with a sedative. In a plot twist, Ant takes control of his narrative and he literally takes Paddy out of the game by bludgeoning him to death.
The latter part of the movie is preserved with the remaining characters, Ben and Louise, Agnes and Ant, travelling in a carefree manner, driving away from the farmhouse. The stuffed rabbit symbolizes a novel connection forged in trauma and survival.
Cast and Crew
The movie showcases a rather optimistic plot in hands of talented actors. McAvoy is a part of the ensemble, where we meet him along with Luis, and later we meet him again alongside his daughter. McAvoy is a great and calm actor, with great control of his emotions which allows for multi-dimensional characters, such as a predator surrender who fears for his well-being, and in the end serving the instrest of the daughter.
Aisling Franciosi plays Ciara, who is Paddy’s partner and takes part in both the mind games and the physical violence. Alix West Lefler plays Agnes, who is an innocent and emotionally insightful child and her understanding is crucial to the story’s final moments. Dan Hough plays Ant, who is a quiet but emotive boy and over time reveals the astonishing truth.
James Watkins is known for his horror films, such as Eden Lake. Watkins’s direction in Speak No Evil preserves the emotional truth of the source material but offers a more climactic, morally empowering resolution. Watkins adds commentary as well, for the screenplay combines elements of tension, social commentary, and horror.
Tim Maurice-Jones’s remote and eventually sinister countryside takes the place of the remote beauty of the film, Speak No Evil. Jon Harris’s editing maintains a tightly woven rhythm of the film, increasing the pace as the story unfolds, and culminating in an explosive climax. The score presented by Danny Bensi, and Saunder Jurriaans increases and accentuates the simmering unease and dread.
Critical Reception and IMDb
Carries a streamlined and consistent reputation in both audience and critic reviews. The film’s score is prominently showcased in numerous rating compilation sites, marking the film as a ‘conventional remake’ which is viewed as a more standard adaptation of the original film.
Critics noted the film’s suspenseful and deeply unsettling narrative. James McAvoy’s performance received accolades for adding gravitas and unpredictability to the film’s narrative. The film’s depiction of the chemistry between the two families and the slow unraveling of their dynamic has also received praise.
Some reviewers remarked that the Danish original’s bleakness is overly softened in the American version. In the 2022 version, the family is murdered, and the child taken hostage. Watkins’ version, however, permits the victims to fight back and live. This choice tends to be more in line with American genre expectations.
While some critics claim that the film loses some of the existential horror and moral intricacy of the original, others argue that the film’s conclusion offers a fulfilling transformation, granting viewers a sense of relief instead of despair.
Themes and Analysis
At its essence, Speak No Evil examines the lengths to which people will go to avoid discomfort and conflict, often at great personal sacrifice. The Daltons’ reluctance to face breaches of social etiquette and their politeness as guests creates a scenario in which they are victimized. The film examines how social governance and social norms are often abused to perpetrate violence and hinder dissent.
The title of the movie itself a reference and variation of the saying “see, hear and speak no evil.” In this context, the saying is both literal and figurative. The mutilation of Ant and of other children is a grotesque form of silencing both physically and emotionally.
The evolution of Ant as a character from a voiceless, victimized boy to a figure of justice bestows a degree of emotional richness to the story. His journey is emblematic of the reclamation of voice and agency, a powerful notion despite the absence of actual speech.
Final Thoughts
Speak No Evil (2024) is an intense horror film that is both emotionally gripping and pays tribute to its origin while establishing its own identity. It features notable performances, particularly from James McAvoy. The film is a modern blend of psychological and physical horror, which adds to its significance in the contemporary horror film canon.
While some purists may take issue with the alterations, particularly the more survival-centric ending, others may view it as a poignant reflection on the enduring importance of resistance, familial love, and the deep instinct to endure against cold, calculated malevolence.
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