'Speak No Evil' Reviews: Film is "frankly terrifying"

Photo by John Jackson on Unsplash

         On September 13, 2024, Universal Pictures releases 'Speak No Evil', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare." The ensemble cast includes James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Alix West Lefler, Scoot McNairy, and Aisling Franciosi. But what did the critics say?

        Elliott Collins of Movie Files says, "Like the original, this an story about allowing people to cross boundaries without stopping them. It doesn’t leave you with such a sickening feeling as the original but offers a more accessible and more of a crowd pleasing experience."

       David Jenkins of Little White Lies notes, "Watkins’ slick direction and McAvoy’s frankly terrifying performance make this an effective, worthy if not essential entry into the “If you go out to the woods today…” creepy canon."

       Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru praises the film, stating, "Speak No Evil takes a while to get going because the first 30 minutes are essentially nothing more than exposition as Ben and Louise meet Paddy and Ciara while on vacation in Tuscany before returning to their home in London. With their marriage on the rocks, they accept an invitation to visit Paddy and Ciara despite barely knowing them. The film works best if you either haven't seen the Danish movie or haven't watched the trailer which, as usual, gives away too much. There aren't any surprises, though, because it's clear from the beginning that Paddy can't be trusted and that something sinister will be transpiring from the moment that he offers to taste a piece of roasted chicken to Louise despite that she's a vegetarian." Adding, "The plot is at its most suspenseful during its psychologically thrilling, Hitchcockian moments as Paddy gradually asserts dominance over Ben and Louise. Small details like his collection of watches become more important later on. A scene where he pretends to get head from his wife while at dinner with Ben and Louise is just an example of his twisted mind games. It's a funny scene that's equally disturbing. When the film turns into a much less subtle, pulse-pounding action thriller, that's when it takes a bit of a nosedive and abandons logic and plausibility. One minute Paddy's eye looks noticeably red and irritated, the next it looks fine. One minute Ben breaks his legs, the next he's able to walk. That said, the terrific ensemble cast manages to elevate the film and to breathe life into their roles. James McAvoy is superb here as is Scoot McNairy. The child actor Dan Dough gives a breakthrough performance here which is on par with Haley Joel Osment's performance in The Sixth Sense. At a running time of 1 hour and 51 minutes, Speak No Evil is a gripping and well-acted Hitchcockian thriller. "