-Written by Kyle Bain.
Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben (Scoot McNairy) are off on a family vacation with their daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), in rural Italy. They soon meet another couple, Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Fanciosi), traveling at the same time. Paddy and Ciara’s son, Ant (Dan Hough), was born with a disability, one that often causes him to struggle making friends. Though, Agnes and Ant immediately hit it off. With that, the families agree to a weekend getaway together–but they will soon be asking those around them to Speak No Evil as certain death lurks just around the corner.
This just might be the year of horror films. As A24 and Blumhouse, time and time again, have produced intriguing horror flicks that resonate with audiences and have them craving more. Speak No Evil is no different. It’s a brilliant venture to the English countryside, as danger and unease exist in every crevice of this film. What is done so well is establish these tones in the early going, never abandoning them, but keeping an effective balance overall that stops the film from going too far, from becoming too much for viewers. What leads the way in this regard is McAvoy.
We all know he’s a talented actor, playing roles in everything from Wanted to X-Men: First Class, and doing a spectacular job each and every time. I truly believe that this is McAvoy’s best performance to date. He’s the lead in this film, surrounded by other impeccably talented actors, and he steals the show. Every facial expression, every movement of his body, every time he opens his mouth–everything lends itself to him, his character, and the film finding success. Even better, McAvoy bulked up before this role, making him more physically imposing and adding even more depth to an already well-developed character. Speak No Evil, as wonderful as everyone else is, rests on the shoulders of McAvoy, and he never misses.
Not to downplay anything that I’ve already mentioned, but these are things that I expected. I anticipated that Blumhouse and McAvoy would get it right, that they would thrive in their respective roles.
What I didn’t expect going into Speak No Evil was humor, an abundance of it. The comedy is developed wonderfully, landing perfectly each and every time. Writer-Director James Watkins uses subtle comedy to juxtapose the intense tones that transcend the film–creating a beautiful balance and reeling viewers in further and further as the film progresses.
I hate when horror films are plagued by convenient plot points, and fortunately there was only one of those moments present in Speak No Evil. Smack dab in the middle of the film there is a moment where it was painfully obvious that things were about to get silly, about to veer from the wonderfully-developed tone up to this point. I cringed at the ridiculousness of this one moment, but the film quickly gets back on track, and Speak No Evil continues its tirade of horror, effective comedy, and brilliant acting from there on out.
Speak No Evil, with McAvoy as the lead, is a film that I had high hopes for, that I anticipated would check all of the necessary boxes for a good horror film. It did just as I had hoped, and nearly the entirety of the film worked for me. Speak No Evil, other than Longlegs, might just be the best horror film of 2024–a year full of wonderfully entertaining horror flicks. From the acting to the score, and the comedy to the set design, Speak No Evil works on a number of levels.
Directed by James Watkins.
Written by James Watkins, Christian Tafdrup, & Mads Tafdrup.
Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Kris Hitchen, Scoot McNairy, etc.
8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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