Speak No Evil [2024]

March 26, 2026

It’s not that surprising that we had to wait only two years to get a remake of a provocative Danish thriller of the same name. After all, the plot is deliciously relatable and ominous at the same time. The biggest question is whether they stayed true to the story in the original. Or did they try to do something else? Speak No Evil 2024 is an intense and gripping psychological thriller featuring an excellent story and even better performances. And one hell of a finale, if I might add. While the original Danish movie Speak No Evil 2022 was more atmospheric, this one is a more straightforward affair.

It walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck. Moreover, Speak No Evil 2024 “fixes” some of the “problems” the original had. I dare not go into details as I don’t want to spoil anything for ya. You can also count on a bit of that trademark British humor, both regular and dark. So, I can confidently say that this is one of the better remakes in the last couple of years. I just hope they’re going to continue to bring attention to the Danish cinema because it’s fucking excellent. Anders Thomas Jensen (Adam’s Apples), Thomas Vinterberg (Festen), Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher), and Susanne Bier (In A Better World) are some of my favorite directors.

And you know Mads Mikkelsen is Danish, right? Of course you do, I know my people. Moving on, here’s a short summary just to orient you a bit. While enjoying everything Italy has to offer, an American Dalton family makes friends with the lively British couple Paddy and Ciara and their son Ant. After all, Louise and Ben Dalton have a daughter that’s about Ant’s age. Some time after this chance encounter, Paddy invites the Daltons to their farm in the English countryside. They accept the offer and this is where things will start to get complicated. The poster for this movie should’ve been more ambiguous.

I mean, I think you already know what’s going to happen here. Eden Lake is the name of the movie you’re trying to remember. However, I should tell you that Eden Lake is a much darker movie than Speak No Evil 2024. It’s more similar to the Danish original. Moreover, the director of the 2022 movie, Christian Tafdrup said that he used it as an inspiration. In a strange twist of fate, its director, James Watkins, is also the director of the movie we’re talking about today. It’s a real conversation starter as it questions not just the gender roles and dynamics but also something else. It asks a simple question: have we gone soft in our cozy urban environment?

Demolition Man did the same thing more than 30 years ago. However, I think that this topic is more appropriate for that wealthy and advanced part of Europe. The rest of us, living in unbridled capitalism and a full-on tribal society know how the fend for ourselves. Then again who knows, there’s a lot of good stuff in this movie. It’s no wonder it’s still in the IMDb’s Top 100 long after its theatrical run. Speaking of which, it made a whopping $78 million against a $15 million budget. And I think this speaks to the audience’s hunger for original and somewhat edgy thrillers. The star of the show is the one and only, Mr. I’ve Got Unlimited Range, James McAvoy.

He’s truly one of the best mainstream actors today. And I love that he’s willing to take up these a bit riskier roles. Scoot McNairy was just as good, nestling in his huge aura and playing Ben just the way he should’ve played him. Mackenzie Davis and especially Aisling Franciosi also gave great performances along with the kids. All of this helped with some of the more illogical twists and questionable decision-making. Just remember that this is a movie and not a realistic rendition of “how things would’ve played out in the real world”. If you want that, there are plenty of those movies around, just be careful not to go too deep.