By George & Josh Bate
American remakes of foreign horror movies were once commonplace at the megaplex. Beloved international horror movies like Ring, Let the Right One In, and The Grudge were adapted to be more suitable for English-speaking audiences unable to get over the “one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles” (Bong Joon-ho’s phrase from the 2021 Golden Globe Awards). Surprisingly though, some of these remakes ended up being quite good, if not excellent. Look no further than the likes of Matt Reeves’ Let Me In or Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria. Now, in 2024, another acclaimed international horror movie is given the remake treatment.
Speak No Evil (known as The Guests in its native Danish) proved to be the rare horror movie that broke the language barrier and captivated audiences globally. After premiering at Sundance Film Festival, the film went on to release in select U.S. theaters and through video on demand, where it garnered widespread acclaim for its cutting-edge social satire, disturbing ending, and its fusion of pure terror and cringe-worthiness. The film elicited such strong reactions that horror movie super-producer Jason Blum commissioned a remake less than one year after the Danish film hit theaters. Given the recency and undeniable success of the original Speak No Evil, the Blumhouse remake comes with it hefty expectations and eager anticipation to determine if this latest English-speaking remake of a foreign horror movie justifies its existence.
The remake of Speak No Evil stars Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis as Ben and Louise Dalton respectively. While on vacation in Italy, the married couple befriend another couple – Paddy (played by James McAvoy) and Ciara (played by Aisling Franciosi) – and are invited to spend another holiday at Paddy and Ciara’s beautiful country home in England. What initially begins as an idyllic holiday for Ben, Louise, and their daughter Agnes slowly becomes unsettling as they learn more about their hosts, who harbor a dark secret.
One of the core questions heading into Speak No Evil is whether or not it justifies a remake just two years after the original film was released. The Danish iteration was so memorable, uncomfortably so, that to follow that up with an English language remake requires something unique to let the two stand apart. Blumhouse and director/writer James Watkins achieve that uniqueness in the remake’s tone, moving away from the bleak and disturbing nature of the original and, instead, playing more like a classic crowd-pleasing horror flick. As a result, this version of Speak No Evil may not linger with audiences in a way that the original did, but it is certainly a more enjoyable viewing overall.
In the 2022 Danish film, director and co-writer Christian Tafdrup cultivated a sense of overwhelming dread as the lead couple got closer and closer to the danger of their hosts posed. A sense of dread is present in this new iteration too, at least to a certain extent, but it is matched with a surprising amount of humor as well. One wouldn’t think that Speak No Evil would be the type of story to illicit laugh out loud reactions from the crowd, and yet it is likely to do just that when it plays in theaters.
James McAvoy’s performance aids the film in this unique balancing act of humor and horror. His performance exists on the border of hilarious and extremely unsettling, sometimes switching between the two in the same scene. At many times, his unknowing house guests are unsure of how to react to some of his behavior, just as audiences might not know when to laugh, scream, or both. McAvoy is clearly having a lot of fun in this role, giving a loud and memorable performance throughout. The actor stated that he based his character on the controversial influencer Andrew Tate, and that inspiration certainly shines through as the story unfolds. This is as good as McAvoy has been in his entire career, equal to his incredible performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s Split. His performance here is similarly flashy, and like Split, McAvoy’s presence elevates the quality of the film substantially.
Like the original film, Speak No Evil (2024) features plenty of social satire and commentary. Much of this has to do with simultaneously uncomfortable and funny interactions between the two couples, which features plenty of awkward moments and invasive comments or questions. In this way, the film is exploring and poking fun at the lengths people will go to remain polite and respectful in the presence of their hosts, even if they are surrounded by red flags. Speak No Evil feels realistic in this way, as the reactions of Ben and Louise, trying to appease their hosts and not come across as rude or ungrateful, are likely what most would revert to in an increasingly uncomfortable situation such as this. Contrasting the original film though is how heavy-handed the social satire and commentary is here. While the original was subtle with its messaging, the remake is much more overt and louder with the messages it is trying to convey. Thankfully, this overtness of messaging actually works for the film, given that it plays far more like a crowd-pleasing horror movie than the original.
Opposite James McAvoy is Scoot McNairy, whose character Ben Dalton exemplifies this desire to not upset the couple that invited him and his family to stay. Unfortunately, McNairy feels slightly miscast here. McNairy appropriately captures the awkwardness, discomfort, and passive nature of his character, and admittedly does grow into the role as the film progresses. Despite this, McNairy feels just a tad too unnatural in this role, which makes his arc in the film feel slightly less believable.
VERDICT: 8.5/10
Speak No Evil (2024) departs from the tone of the disturbing Danish original film by surprisingly unfolding as a classic, crowd-pleasing, applause-worthy horror movie, rather than deeply unsettling. Although this means the film may not linger in the way the original, it also means that this remake is a hell of a ride and one that more so entertains than it does disturbs. Featuring a stellar performance from James McAvoy, the new Blumhouse picture features more overt and heavy-handed, yet similarly effective, social satire and commentary as the Danish film of which it is based. As a remake of the film that released a mere two years ago, this new version of Speak No Evil justifies its existence and then some, a testament to the film’s sheer strength and entertainment value. While many English-speaking remakes of international horror films fall flat and make one question why a remake was even considered in the first place, Speak No Evil (2024) certainly does not fall into that category.