Speak No Evil (2024)

The original 2022 Speak No Evil from Danish writer/director Christian Tafdrup was a masterwork of dread, tension, and unrelenting discomfort, a film that earned its reputation for unflinching terror and a nerve-shattering third act. In stark contrast, this remake from Blumhouse and writer/director James Watkins destroys every compelling aspect of the story, tossing out the brutal, shocking moments in favor of a dry, lifeless climax. This is unfortunately a modern Blumhouse product through and through - a film stripped of its soul, repackaged for a mass audience that wouldn't know the original film’s level of genuine horror if it jumped out of the screen and throttled them. By the time this remake’s final 30 minutes play out, the suspense has been obliterated, replaced with clichés and contrivances that strangely seem to be aimed at securing a PG-13 rating but is somehow still rated R.

In the 2022 version, the couple slowly descends into horror, as they navigate a visit to their uncomfortably strange new friends, is both subtle and brutal, with violence lurking just beneath the surface of a charming, seemingly innocent family dynamic. For this 2024 remake, the stakes are reduced to something painfully predictable as an uninspired home-invasion thriller where every twist is telegraphed from a mile away, whether it be something as simple as someone hiding behind a door or a character that turns face in the latter part of the film. Gone is the sense of creeping dread, and the horrifying blend of social discomfort and violence. Instead, what we get is a watered-down, "safe" version of the film, where the evil that menaces the protagonists, Ben and Lousie Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis respectively) is stripped of any real malevolence due to the heavy-handed actions of their new unorthodox friend Paddy (James McAvoy).

McAvoy, who is always a compelling screen presence, feels wasted here in a role that never allows him to explore the full range of psychosis his character otherwise should embody. While his character is charismatic, there’s a hollow quality to his performance as he never fully unleashes the unhinged menace that could have made his version of the character truly frightening. What made the original menacing figure Patrick played by Fedja van Huêt so unsettling was his erratic unpredictability. In this version, it’s as if Watkins feared pushing the envelope or somehow offending the audience, instead, we’re left with a watered-down portrayal that never reaches its true potential of a genuinely horrifying existence. McAvoy's “Paddy” (Not Patrick!) is more of a one-note microaggressive out-of-bounds looney. 

And that’s the most egregious sin of all, this remake completely squanders the film’s once-potent premise, turning what should have been a harrowing and gut-wrenching experience into a sanitized, formulaic piece of horror-by-numbers. Even the most infamous scene from the original, which became an indelible part of horror history, is conspicuously absent here replaced by a tepid, unimaginative climax that feels more suited for a made-for-TV thriller that has to measure up to standards and practices. There’s no real shock or fear. Worse, for those who see this remake before the original, they may be cheated of a really terrifying experience. 

In short, this version of Speak No Evil feels like a baffling betrayal of the original film. Tafdrup has even gone on the record with his bewilderment at the choices made for this remake. Blumhouse and James Watkins thoroughly missed the mark with this effort on every level. Thankfully the legacy of the Danish original shouldn’t be harmed by this pale imitation and should remain a key destination for any horror fan (if you haven’t seen it already). Save your time, save your energy, and go watch the original. It’s the only way to experience the kind of exciting horror that this remake so brazenly dismisses.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Speak No Evil cuts its way out to Blu-ray + Digital Code via Universal and Blumhouse. The sole disc is housed inside a hard blue plastic case with a cardboard sleeve. The unexceptional artwork features a shadowed face of McAvoy shushing the audience. There is an insert for a digital code. 

Speak No Evil (2024) comes with a beautiful-looking 1080p HD transfer that hits all of its horror narrative's bold and rich elements. The color palette changes a bit throughout the film. The first segment showcases the stone streets of Italy where brightness fills the screen with delicious green plants, trees, and wildflowers that look great against the sand-colored stone buildings and the bright blue sky. It's a beautiful location that pops during the daytime. Once back in foggy London, the color palette changes to a steely grey with light blue highlights where everything has a dreary appeal. One more color change happens when both families are at the remote English farm where the earthy colors of the surrounding woods and plants are mixed with the red and brown brick of the house.

Inside the home are more natural colors that look to have decayed over time, making the terrifying tone stick even better. Black levels are inky and rich without murky shadows but look a bit brighter than they would with a 4K transfer. The skin tones are natural if not a little hot. The detail is sharp and vivid, even during the darker sequences. Closeups reveal individual facial stubble, hairs, gory makeup applications, beads of sweat and blood, along with textures of cloth and leather in the wardrobe. Background items inside the house look excellent too. There are no major issues with this video presentation other than it looks a bit bright at times. 

This release comes with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio mix that sounds wonderful and creepy. The beginning of the film utilizes a small motor-scooter that brings some heft to the soundscape while other ambient noises of people talking, walking, and eating all sound wonderful. House creaks and footsteps inside an old house all have the perfect pitch. As the film's horror landscape develops, the bass kicks into high gear with a good rumble of car engines and gunshots. Those blasts from a shotgun and other pistols sound forceful and loud, which is great for this type of film. The music score always adds to the suspense of the movie as well. The dialogue. is clean, clear, and easy to follow along with. A Dolby Atmos mix could have improved the height speakers from time to time, however, this 7.1 option is excellent. 

There are only 19 minutes worth of bonus materials that are simple EPK fluff. The audio commentary from the director is very dry. 

• Audio Commentary - Director James Watkins delivers a dry commentary track where he discusses making the film, its tone, the cast, and more. 
• Nuclear Families (HD, 9 Mins.) - The cast and crew talk about their characters and what emotions they brought in their performances. On-set footage and way too many clips are included here. 
• A Horrifying Crescendo (HD, 6 Mins.) - The same cast and crew talk about the tone and themes of the film with more behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film. 
• The Farmhouse of Horrors (HD, 4 Mins.) - The cast and crew focus on the actual farmhouse that was all filmed on location and what went into sprucing it up. 

This English remake of Speak No Evil is just another pale version of something spectacular that even the normally charismatic of James McAvoy can savage. The 1080p HD video transfer looks beautifully bright and the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio mix sounds wonderful. The extras are short and non-informative, allowing for surface-level tidbits from behind the scenes. Do yourself the favor of seeking out the original, it's currently streaming on AMC+, you can rent it on Prime if you're committed to blind buying the Blu-ray. As for this remake, Rent It to be safe if you're curious, but you'd be doing yourself a severe disservice if you don't see the 2022 version first.