Speak No Evil movie review: A solid thriller that ends in desultory fashion

Speak No Evil movie review

Film: Speak No Evil
Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Alix West Lefler, Aisling Franciosi, Dan Hough, Kris Hitchen, Motaz Malhees
Director: James Watkins
Rating: 3/5
Runtime: 110 min

This remake of the compelling 2022 Danish horror thriller ‘Gaesterne', about a young family invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic remote country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, is fairly well made and has its share of horrifying moments. James McAvoy plays another deranged villain (not too different from his roles in Split and Glass), Paddy, a doctor turned gentleman farmer whose charm and wit cloak a sinister threat. An American couple, Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davis) living in London, are the ones invited to Paddy and Ciara's (Aisling Franciosi) farmhouse abode. For the invitees it's obviously going to be a weekend from hell.

The narrative is slow-burn, plying on the thrills incrementally. As the Americans' fears escalate they slowly begin to realise Paddy's deranged motive. Director James Watkins, ratchets up the tension slowly and steadily.

The narrative opens with empyrean views of Italy. Ben and Louise are vacationing there with their 11-year-old daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), an anxious child who is deeply attached to a stuffed rabbit called Hoppy - who she describes as her "worry bunny." The vacationers meet Paddy, Ciara and their son, Ant (Dan Hough) at the hotel. Ant, supposedly, can't speak because he was born with a malformed tongue, according to Paddy. The two families get friendly enough for Paddy to invite Ben, Louise and Agnes over to his home over the weekend. That's when the horrors begin.

Louise is not too sure about accepting the invite but Ben is persuasive enough and the tableau is set. There's no cellphone service at the remote, slightly mysterious farmhouse. Paddy who was overtly friendly and accommodating during the Italy sojourn suddenly begins to show his true colors. Paddy ups his games the minute the guests arrive. He insists that Louise have the first bite of the prize lamb he has killed and cooked, knowing very well that she is fierce about being vegetarian. He bullies his guests with sinister guile and a smile. McAvoy as Paddy aces it as he ramps up the creepiness gradually. It's a real treat to watch the actor modulate his threatening behavior from funny and eager to please to sinister and threatening.

The fear that terrible things could happen is alive and kicking as the crazed Paddy gets down and sinister with his guests. Layer upon layer is gradually revealed as the narrative keeps you terrifyingly engaged. Unfortunately, after a solid build-up of psychological horror the screenplay begins to fall apart towards the end. The narrative which began to assume the heft of a bumptious genre piece suddenly starts going haywire. This remake diverges from the original's grimm finale. Its predictable turns lead-up to a obviously crowd-pleasing climactic action standoff with weapons drawn. It's silly and feels like a cop-out. Louise's ingenuity has her turning household cleaning products into weapons. After all, she has to save her family from the evil stalking them. The actors involved make it look fairly life threatening - so the audience might well forgive the transgression of a wrecked-up finale.