“Speak No Evil” teaches a big lesson: Never accept an invitation from someone you barely know.
An American family does and, well, lives to regret it.
While on vacation in Italy, the Daltons meets a gregarious couple from Great Britain, have a couple of outings with them, then get the invitation. Because Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) has had some bad luck in business, he thinks the trip might do them some good. Wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) isn’t so sure. They take daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) to the estate and, immediately, begin to feel the vibes.
Christian Tafdrup’s 2022 Danish horror film was potent enough that it led to this Blumhouse remake just two years later. James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis and Aisling Franciosi star in a thriller about how much can go wrong on a idyllic countryside vacation. (Sept. 13, in theaters)
Paddy (James McAvoy) toys with the truth repeatedly; wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) often seems like an unwilling accomplice. Their son, Ant (Dan Hough), is missing part of his tongue, so he can’t weigh in.
The home is almost impossible to find, its amenities are less than ideal and Paddy is determined to force his tastes on the others, even though he senses they’re not all that comfortable.
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Directed by James Watkins, “Speak No Evil” is based on a Danish original. If that had as many red flags as this, it wouldn’t have prompted any remakes.
Repeatedly, the Daltons sense they need to leave. Repeatedly, Paddy finds a way to bring them back. When the “stay” becomes a cat-and-mouse chase, it’s clear how tainted this place is.
Luckily, Ant takes Agnes on a fact-finding mission and shows her the home’s past and the owners’ game plan.
McAvoy leans into his evil side (looking a bit Rambo-ish at one point) and isn’t hesitant to scare anyone. Davis is good at confronting him, but she doesn’t get any support from Ciara or her husband.
That creates an awkward atmosphere and almost requires a late-night escape. Agnes’ stuffed rabbit, however, pulls them back into the crucible. (Second lesson: Don’t go back for the bunny.)
Like “Midsommar,” “Speak No Evil” thrives on its visitors’ lack of knowledge. (Had they known what they were getting into, they never would have taken the trip.)
Watkins gives them several outs but pulls them back, sometimes for no good reason. That makes “Speak No Evil” a frustrating exercise, particularly since the Daltons owe their hosts nothing. By the time all hell has broken loose (and the visitors start resorting to desperate measures), we’re reaching for the theater door.
“Speak No Evil” isn’t tricky or even well-plotted. It’s simply a horror film with clunky “opportunities” that add up to nothing. Only the kid without the tongue has the right idea and he’s not saying anything.
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Bruce Miller is editor of the Sioux City Journal.
