Speak No Evil was released on Sept. 13, 2024. This is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name. The movie follows an American couple whose dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when they spend the weekend at a British family’s idyllic country estate.

We have all known this for years, but James McAvoy can ACT. This is a multidimensional character, that appears friendly on the surface while also being outwardly sinister at the same time. The range of his performance was phenomenal here, and it’s certainly the highlight of the flick. Mackenzie Davis is also great, as their personalities tend to clash throughout the runtime.

While some may have enjoyed the explosive finale, I actually appreciated the first two-thirds of the film much more. You can sense where the movie is heading, but it’s also almost directionless at the same time. I’m a huge fan of films that can keep you guessing while still being engaging. Speak No Evil does a lot throughout the first hour to develop a sense of uneasiness with an array of comical yet uncomfortable sequences. This all builds up to near perfection before the final act begins.

The last act of Speak No Evil was the weakest aspect of the flick to me. I could see most of the revals coming from a mile away (I haven’t seen the original), and there was some lazy writing to move things along. Despite this, I still enjoyed the chaos that ensued, and it didn’t weigh the movie down too much.

Overall, Speak No Evil is a very solid movie. It has peaked my interest to see the original, and I think that’s what a successful remake should do. McAvoy is great in the lead, delivering a very menacing and haunting performance. This had me laughing, clenching my seat and grimacing all in one — making for a great time at the movie theatre.