The horror genre has long been filled with English-language remakes of popular films from other countries. Unfortunately, many of these remakes don’t quite live up to the quality of the original versions.
For example, Quarantine doesn’t manage to capture the gritty realism of the Spanish film Rec, and The Uninvited falls short when compared to the South Korean film A Tale of Two Sisters.
While some remakes manage to be decent, like The Ring, or in rare cases, you have a master director creating a shot-for-shot remake of their own film, as with Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, the original versions still tend to be superior.
Even when the remake is done well, more often than not, the original movie holds up better and is the preferred version. The idea of remaking a movie, whether it’s decades later or even just two years after the original’s release, often puts the remake in a tough spot before it even hits theaters.
This trend of remakes continues today, and Blumhouse, a well-known horror production company, is no stranger to it. They jumped on board when Speak No Evil, a 2022 horror film co-produced by Denmark and the Netherlands, was released and received glowing reviews from both critics and horror fans.
The 2022 version of Speak No Evil is brutal, relentless, and hard to watch at times, offering a disturbing look at human nature. It shows how the rules of polite society and our need to connect with others can sometimes lead us down dangerous paths.
In 2024, the English-language remake of this film, directed by James Watkins and produced by Jason Blum, was released. While the remake tries to stay true to the original, it lacks the same intensity. The 2022 version felt like it was shouting its message loudly, while the 2024 remake barely manages to whisper in comparison.
What Is ‘Speak No Evil’ About?
The story of Speak No Evil revolves around Ben (played by Scoot McNairy) and Louise (played by Makenzie Davis), an American couple struggling to adjust to life in London. They are having a hard time getting used to living in the UK, and their life seems to be filled with frustration.
To escape their problems, they take their 11-year-old daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), on a holiday to Italy. The couple hopes that the vacation will help them reconnect and remind them of the benefits of living in Europe.
During their trip, they meet a British family consisting of Paddy (James McAvoy), his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their son Ant (Dan Hough). Ant has a medical condition that causes his tongue to be much smaller than normal, which leaves him unable to speak.
From the very start, it is clear that Ben is jealous of Paddy’s carefree and easygoing attitude. Ben and Louise are both drawn to Paddy and Ciara’s hedonistic lifestyle, but at the same time, they feel uncomfortable around them. The British couple ignores many social norms and behaves in ways that make Ben and Louise uneasy.
Despite these red flags, Ben and Louise feel intrigued by their new friends. After returning to London, they receive a postcard from Paddy and Ciara, inviting them to spend a weekend at their secluded home in the English countryside.
While Louise is hesitant to accept the invitation, she eventually agrees, hoping that the trip might lift Ben’s spirits. Ben has been feeling down due to his inability to find a new job, and Louise thinks the weekend getaway could help him feel better.
However, from the moment they arrive, things seem off. Paddy and Ciara are much stranger than Ben and Louise remember. Paddy is even more obnoxious and forces Louise to eat goose, even though she has told him she’s a vegetarian.
Ciara also fails to mention that a man who barely speaks English will be babysitting the children. As the weekend continues, Ant tries to communicate something important to Agnes, but because of his speech issues, he is unable to do so.
Instead, he shows her his father’s collection of watches, one of which has an inscription in a foreign language. As Paddy and Ciara’s behavior becomes more inappropriate, they always have some excuse or traumatic story to explain it.
But when Paddy begins verbally abusing his son in front of Ben and Louise, and Ant finally manages to express his distress to Agnes, Ben and Louise come to the horrifying realization that their new friends are much more dangerous than they initially thought.
The Remake Fails to Match the Original
While it is important to judge every film based on its own strengths and weaknesses, it is difficult to watch the 2024 remake of Speak No Evil without comparing it to the original 2022 version. The main question surrounding the remake is whether or not it can live up to the original or at least offer something new and different.
This can be easier when a remake is done for a new generation, but in this case, the original film was released only two years ago. The only real difference between the two versions is the language. However, even in the original, much of the dialogue is already spoken in English, since the couples come from different countries and English is their shared language.
In fact, the choice to have every character speak English in the 2024 remake takes away one of the elements that made the original film so tense. In the 2022 version, the Danish family—Bjørn (Morten Burian), Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), and Agnes (Liva Forsberg)—can speak to each other in their native language without the other couple, Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders), understanding.
This lets the audience feel more connected to the Danish family and aware of their fears. On the other hand, when Patrick and Karin speak in Dutch, there are no subtitles provided, which creates a sense of alienation for the audience.
The language barrier added an extra layer of tension in the original, which is lost in the remake where everyone speaks the same language.
As a result, there was no real need for an American remake. The Danish version of Speak No Evil was already an exceptional film and one of the most heartbreaking horror films in recent years. It’s hard to imagine how the remake could improve on that.
2024’s ‘Speak No Evil’ Lacks Tension and Atmosphere
One of the biggest reasons the original 2022 version of Speak No Evil worked so well was its ability to create a constant sense of tension and dread. From the moment the film begins, there is a feeling that something is very wrong, and this feeling only grows as the movie progresses.
The atmosphere of the original is thick with unease, making the audience feel as though they are on the edge of their seats the entire time. Unfortunately, this sense of tension is noticeably missing in the 2024 remake.
Much of the responsibility for creating fear is placed on James McAvoy’s character, Paddy, but his performance doesn’t quite deliver the necessary tension.
In the original film, you feel as though you are watching the climax of a movie, but stretched out over the entire runtime. The sense of danger is always present. However, in the remake, the danger feels less immediate.
It’s hard to believe that Paddy and Ciara are truly evil until the movie takes a turn toward a more predictable home invasion plot.
This lack of gradual tension-building has become common in Blumhouse’s recent horror films. Many of their films rush toward moments of horror without taking the time to build a sense of unease. They don’t let the fear slowly creep up on the audience.
When the climax of the remake finally arrives, it feels disappointing. The original film ends in a way that is shocking and devastating. However, in the Blumhouse remake, the ending has been changed to fit a more typical Hollywood style.
While this isn’t entirely unexpected, it’s still disappointing. If there is one thing the remake does better, it is the way it portrays Ben and Louise as more sympathetic characters.
The backstory about their struggles as a couple feels a bit predictable, but it does make them easier to relate to. However, this doesn’t add much to the overall story, and the film still falls short of the original.
Makenzie Davis Shines in ‘Speak No Evil’
One of the standout aspects of the remake is the performances, particularly that of Makenzie Davis as Louise. While the marketing for the film may have focused on James McAvoy, it is Davis who truly carries the movie.
Her portrayal of Louise is the emotional center of the film, and she does an excellent job of making the audience root for her character.
Though the film simplifies Louise’s character, turning her into the perfect mother figure, Davis’s performance makes her feel genuine and relatable. Scoot McNairy also does a good job as Ben, playing the role of a man trying to find his inner strength.
While James McAvoy is a talented actor, his performance as Paddy doesn’t quite live up to the character’s potential. Paddy is supposed to be a charming but dangerous figure, someone who hides his dark side behind a friendly exterior.
However, McAvoy’s portrayal of Paddy comes off as more irritating than menacing. His character spends much of the film ranting about social media and technology, which makes him feel more like an annoying dinner guest than a true horror villain.
Aisling Franciosi, on the other hand, gives a solid performance as Ciara, capturing the same cold and cruel demeanor seen in the original film.
Conclusion: The Original ‘Speak No Evil’ Is Still the Best Version
It’s not surprising that the 2024 remake of Speak No Evil doesn’t live up to the original. While the remake isn’t a bad film, it fails to capture the same level of tension, dread, and emotional impact that made the original such a powerful experience.
If you’re open to watching the 2024 version, it’s best to do so without comparing it to the 2022 film. However, if you only have time to watch one version, the original Danish-Dutch Speak No Evil is the clear winner.
It’s one of the most unsettling and emotionally devastating horror films of recent years, while the remake feels like a hollow retelling of a story that has already been done to near perfection.
The 2024 remake of Speak No Evil struggles to live up to the gripping tension and emotional depth of the 2022 original Danish-Dutch version. While the remake features strong performances, especially from Makenzie Davis, it falls short in creating the same sense of dread and fear that made the original so effective.
The language gap, a key element of the original’s suspense, is absent, and the remake leans into a more predictable Hollywood-style narrative, even altering the powerful ending. Ultimately, the remake lacks the chilling atmosphere of the original, making the 2022 version the superior and more impactful horror film.
