Speak No Evil (2024)
Great, vacations are ruined too.
Presentation:
The film is a decent modern remake of a popular thriller. It’s not scary and feels like a typical Hollywood popcorn flick with a modest budget. Even so, the film definitely manages to crawl up your skin and make you feel the paranoia and uncomfortableness of vacationing with strangers. James McAvoy has a good performance, though not nearly as impressionable as his neuroticism in Split.
Story:
There are some that will consider this a film as female empowerment since the husband is useless and the wife does all the heavy lifting and fighting. I honestly just think it's because the star of the film is Mackenzie Davis, and it doesn't really make as much sense for the less prominent supporting male lead to be the macho husband and save the day. Still, it was refreshing but also illuminating when the shoe is put on the other foot.
Conclusion:
A good popcorn flick with some genuinely tense moments and build ups that should immerse you into the story. It adds something new in this remake, but it ultimately doesn’t offer anything significant for hardcore fans of the thriller genre. The clichés hold this film back as there are some moments you are frustrated with the character’s decision making. A decent payoff worth watching on a lazy Sunday.
Recommendations
Samurai epic meets spaghetti western.