Two versions with two paths: one will haunt you, the other will thrill you.
On a chilly night in 2022, a Danish horror film randomly crossed my path. With no expectations, I decided to give it a go, and to my surprise, it quickly became one of my favourite horror films of the year.
Fast forward just two years, and I was shocked to see an American remake being released. The original was spoken in English. Do we need another one so soon?
In Speak No Evil, we follow an unsuspecting American family – Ben (Argo’s Scoot McNairy), his wife Louise (Terminator: Dark Fate’s Mackenzie Davis), and their young daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) – who accept an invitation to stay at the remote English countryside home of Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), a couple they befriended on holiday in Italy.
But what begins as a pleasant reunion quickly takes a dark turn. Paddy and Ciara’s behaviour becomes more unsettling by the day, pushing the boundaries of social ‘norms’ and making Ben and Louise increasingly uncomfortable, yet they’re mostly too polite to confront their hosts.
Adding to the eerie atmosphere is Paddy and Ciara’s silent son, Ant (Dan Hough), whose fearful glances and withdrawn demeanour hint at deeper issues simmering beneath the surface. As the American family wonders whether their hosts are just eccentric, or hiding something far more sinister, they find themselves trapped in a disturbing spiral of manipulation and growing tension.
McAvoy gleefully throws himself into this role, delivering a performance as menacing as we saw in Split. I initially worried his familiar face might be a distraction for this type of role – but those concerns faded as I became engrossed in his character.
For those familiar with the original, I’ll say this: the remake follows the same path almost beat-for-beat, except for the final act, which is drastically different. While this version doesn’t go quite as ‘hard’ as the inaugural Danish film, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Now, depending on your taste, you have two versions to choose from. The first movie pulls-no-punches and climaxes with a gut-wrenching finale that sticks with you for days. The remake offers a more restrained (and less traumatising) experience – but is undoubtedly a solid thriller in its own right.
Either way, this is still well worth speaking about – if just for McAvoy’s performance alone.
ESP Rating: 4/5
Mike Clarke
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Alix West Lefler, Aisling Franciosi & Dan Hough
Running Time: 1 Hr 50 Mins
Director: James Watkins
Go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux
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