The new psychological thriller SPEAK NO EVIL stars Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis as an American couple with a daughter, relocated to England and struggling with job-related and personal issues.  They take a vacation and meet a seemingly fun couple (also with a child) played by James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi. They all hit it off, and these new friends invite them back to their place in northern England, which might just be a much-needed break for our protagonists.  It doesn’t hurt that their children seemed to hit it off pn their previous meeting, so they soon decide to make the trip and hope for the best.  At first it seems like everything is going to be fun and fine, and a relaxing way to forget about their personal problems for a bit, but it isn’t long before they start to notice some rather disturbing qualities in this new couple, and wonder if they’ve made a huge mistake by agreeing to spend time with them away from their own home… and anyone or anything familiar.

This is actually a remake of a Danish movie of the same name from 2022, and this new version is directed by James Watkins, who previously helmed the rather disturbing and haunting EDEN LAKE, which is probably one of the most unsettling horror films ever made. Surprisingly in this new movie, he goes for a much safer take on the original material, which may leave some very frustrated while others might be relieved.  We’ve certainly seen these types of stories before, couples hanging out with other couples, and not realizing until it’s too late that the other coup is not who they first appeared to be, and if you have by chance seen the original Danish film this is based on, then you’ll know things get pretty bad really quick. The new version of SPEAK NO EVIL doesn’t hold back on the horror aspects, even in its marketing, but plays it much more safe toward the end, carrying out much the way you would expect any Hollywood thriller to do so… and in someways that’s probably a good thing, even if it may frustrate purists who know the original movie.

James McAvoy commands the screen as the sometimes unhinged father figure in this mysterious new couple, looking like a beast with his rather muscular physique, and his personality is extremely unpredictable almost all the way through the story. This is definitely a spotlight performance for the seasoned actor, and in many ways his take on that character is what makes this film so good, as he’s easily the most memorable role in the piece. His wife played by Aisling Franciosi is oddly less memorable, but that may just be the result of his performance being so commanding that it makes her pale by comparison. Scoot McNairy and McKenzie Davis do a fine job of playing the unsuspecting couple who find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, and in many ways their take on those characters feels very real and very natural, even when they’re put into extreme situations. Each couple has a kid in this story, with McAvoy and Franciosi’s son playing a more disturbing figure as a boy who cannot talk because he was supposedly born without a tongue, but of course we find out there’s more to that later. Scoot and McKenzie’s daughter is a more sympathetic figure, although she can’t seem to get past her childish need for a stuffed rabbit to make her feel better, and in someways there’s a bit of a commentary in the film about being able to let go of security blanket items.

The original version of SPEAK NO EVIL ends in a rather horrific and shocking way, the kind of ending that really sticks with you and makes you almost feel sick, which is extremely similar to the ending of a EDEN LAKE, a film that director James Watkins previously helmed. This may make it that much more surprising that this new version of SPEAK NO EVIL goes for a more typical ending, and delivers a much more Hollywood-style resolution for this type of film. I personally didn’t have as much of an issue with it because in someways it felt like a way to make up for how disturbing the original was, almost like a pallet cleanser or a way of letting the audience breathe a bit and see that not every film has to end so awfully or so disturbingly. But fans of the original might find it to be a bit of a cop-out, as it really does take a much different direction in the last 20 to 30 minutes. Your mileage may vary, but as a psychological thriller, I still found this new take on SPEAK NO EVIL to be rather entertaining, with strong performances by almost everyone involved, and effective moments that scare you and build tension in the best way possible. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it is kind of fun in a ‘scary movie’ sort of way. In some ways I feel like this is a movie that could be expanded on and show past experiences with the weird new couple, should they decide to make prequels… of course the ending of those prequels would probably not be as safe as the ending of this new one. If you’re looking for a good creepy time at the movies, SPEAK NO EVIL is a lot of fun and rather engaging, though if you are a fan of the original, you may feel a little bit cheated once everything wraps up.

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