English-language remakes of international films are typically not as good as the original. You could argue that most remakes aren’t as good as the original. But in the case of “Speak No Evil,” it’s difficult to imagine a way the Blumhouse remake could come close to the original version.
As seen in the trailer, “Speak No Evil” tells the story of an American Couple who visits a British family that they vacationed with earlier. However, as they begin to learn more about the British couple, things get a little scary. The film stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, and Scoot McNairy.
“Speak No Evil” is written and directed by James Watkins. The filmmaker is probably best known for his earlier films, “Eden Lake” and “Woman in Black.” More recently, he worked in TV, directing episodes of “The Ipcress File” and “McMafia.”
As mentioned, the film is a remake of the 2022 original from filmmaker Christian Tafdrup. The main reason why the English-language remake seems like it won’t be as good is because Tafdrup’s original is so dark that it’s seemingly impossible for most American audiences to stomach. The ending, in particular, is so disturbing, you have to assume Blumhouse would greatly change it. All this to say, you should definitely watch the original on Shudder. Like now.
“Speak No Evil” debuts in theaters on September 13. You can watch the new trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.