Plot: What’s it about?
I was thinking the other day, which I occasionally like to do, and it hit me…some of our (and I use the term “our” as American) films are simply rebadged versions of films from other countries. Wow. What a concept. Don’t get me wrong, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but there’s something to be said for originality, too. Off the top of my head I can think of the movie Force Majure being remade to Downhill, Let the Right One In to Let Me In and so forth (I think two examples should suffice). Case in point, we’ve got Speak No Evil. Based on the 2022 Danish film of the same name, Universal got their hands on it and adapted it for American audiences and putting in a more notable name with James McAvoy. This isn’t an apples to apples comparison and those who have seen the original might be left scratching their heads with the ending, but we won’t go there…
Ben (Scoot McNairy) and his wife Louise (Mackenzie Davis) are in vacation in Italy with their daughter (Alix West Lefler). They meet another seemingly well-to-do couple in Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) as well as their mute son, Ant (Dan Hough). While some red flags abound, Ben and Louise ignore them and go on about their holiday. Several months go by and an invitation is received from Paddy to spend a weekend at the couple’s weekend estate in Wales. The red flags are aback and some of the odd behavior that was noticed on the vacation hasn’t gone away. Ben and Louise ignore these indicators for fear of being rude, but by the time the couple realize what Paddy and Ciara are up to, it might just be too late.
It’s these types of movies that really get to me. They’re not that far-fetched. I remember watching a movie about twenty years ago called Hostel. One of the features had the director, Eli Roth, telling about some of the research he’d done for the film. What really got me was that the places depicted in the film are real. He’d remarked that “…if you find yourself in one of these rooms, you’re dead. There’s no magic phrase you can say, no amount of money will work. You’re dead.” Certainly that doesn’t give away what happens here, but this is one of those films in which things start escalating to the point where we, the audience, can see what’s going on but the protagonists can’t. It’s frustrating. It creates a sense of palpable tension and it’s also what makes the movie work. If these kinds of movies speak to you, then you’re in for a treat.
Video: How’s it look?
There’s a scene very early on in the film where the couples are eating at a resort which is supposed to be in Italy. It might be one of the most picturesque scenes in a film and I find it hard to believe that there’s a place that breathtaking on this planet. Obviously, I’m wrong. Still, for some of the sweeping visuals early on, the film takes place – by and large – on a farm in the English countryside. It’s colorful, detail is immaculate and flesh tones are spot on. While I had no issue with the way the Blu-ray looked, this 4K version does manage to up the ante a bit with some more dynamic range and a bit more clarity. It’s not a night and day difference (it never is), but there was room for improvement and that’s now been rectified.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Another upgrade in the technical specs department is the addition of a Dolby Atmos track. The Blu-ray’s Dolby TrueHD track got the job done, but it was a bit odd that a new film didn’t contain this next generation track. Like the video, this too has been addressed. We’ve got amazing vocals from the group, James McAvoy does quite a bit of yelling in this film), while the front stage offers up more than its fair share of action. And if there’s a movie out there that contains “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles, “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex and “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles then I’d really like to view that movie as well. Kidding aside, it’s a pretty interesting soundtrack with plenty of action in the fronts and rears. Viewers shall not be disappointed.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The same set of supplements are present and nothing new had been added for this 4K release.
- Audio Commentary – Director James Watkins offers up a pretty decent track that tells us of his desire to remake the Danish film that inspired this, the casting (particularly of McAvoy) and details about the shoot. It’s a decent track.
- Nuclear Families – We learn what drew James McAvoy and the rest of the cast to this film, discover what methods they used to embody their roles, and listen as they provide insight into the subtle intricacies surrounding the film’s two families.
- A Horrifying Crescendo – Director James Watkins and cast members take us down a dark corridor of psychology as they discuss the navigation of social spaces, dwelling in discomfort, and the grounded horror elements which escalated the story to its formidable final act.
- The Farmhouse of Horrors – Is there a farmhouse out there that’s not creepy? We learn how this location was reimagined into a place of nightmares as cast and crew walk you through the different production design and camera elements that added to the eeriness of the film.
The Bottom Line
This is a tense movie. When the characters evoke a visceral response from viewers (or me, at least) I’d have to say that something was done right. I’m somewhat afraid to see the original version, but having not seen it I can say say that this one satisfies. Both the audio and video have gotten an upgrade from the previously-released Blu-ray (which is also included in this set).
