Some lucky people saw Universal and Blumhouse's Speak No Evil and shared their reactions and reviews online.
The upcoming horror movie stars James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy.
It follows a family who are invited by fresh acquaintances to come visit their beautiful country house. While the little vacation seems perfect at first, the situation starts to slide downhill fast.
Speak No Evil is a remake of a 2022 Danish film of the same name, directed by Christian Tafdrup. It is often described as one of the most terrifying horror films of the last decade.
First Reviews of Speak No Evil 2024
Through a series of tweets on X (formerly Twitter), the first social media reactions have hit online, giving brief reviews of Universal's upcoming horror film Speak No Evil.
Journalist and industry figure Brandon Davis declared the film "an eerily theatrical experience:"
"'Speak No Evil' is an eerily brilliant theatrical experience. James McAvoy blends charm and terror scarily well. The themes of comfort and security juxtaposed with the fear of offending make the film infuriatingly tense. It's a chilling, captivating, really good thrill ride."
Slashfilm's Ryan Scott assured that the remake "doesn't just rehash the same movie all over again:"
"'Speak No Evil,' like any remake worth a damn, doesn't just rehash the same movie all over again. I was skeptical but really enjoyed it. James McAvoy is the MVP. I think it's a best-case scenario in that it will truly work for people who enjoyed the original as well as newcomers."
Several journalists also got to check out the film during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 in July.
Discussing Film writer Ernesto Valenzuela praised Speak No Evil as "a cleverly crafted thrilled" while also giving props to James McAvoy's performance:
"'Speak No Evil' is a cleverly crafted thriller that reaches levels of discomfort and tension that very few other films have this year. [James] McAvoy absolutely kills it in his role and the rest of the cast is phenomenal as well!"
Scott Menzel specifically pointed to "the two young actors" as "the MVPs:"
"'Speak No Evil' is absolutely bonkers. The film is surprisingly funny while also being terrifying at the same time. All four lead performances are aces but for me, the two young actors were the MVPs. I had way more fun watching this than 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' A insane and wild ride that needs to be experienced with a crowd."
Tessa Smith from Mama's Geeky pointed out that while she could "never watch [the original film] more than once," she would "be happy to revisit" the remake:
"'Speak No Evil' is a wild ride! It starts off as a comedy, slips into suspense, before finally becoming an all out thriller. James McAvoy is brilliant & terrifying. I love the Danish film, but I could never watch it more than once, this one I will be happy to revisit!"
Raiders of the Lost Podcast went as far as to call the movie "one of the best films of 2024:"
"'Speak No Evil' is not only the best horror film of the year by a mile, but it’s legitimately one of the best films of 2024."
Tyler Disney backed up that sentiment, adding that it is probably the "most enjoyable and entertaining films of the year:"
"'Speak No Evil' is not only the best horror/thriller of 2024 but probably one of the most enjoyable and entertaining films of the year."
@STLAngst warned that audiences will likely "find [themselves] frustrated with the characters," which is "exactly the point:"
"'Speak No Evil' is a wild ride! It kicks off as a quirky comedy and gradually turns into a gripping thriller. You'll find yourself frustrated with the characters, but that’s exactly the point! F*ck politeness."
Can the Speak No Evil Remake Live Up to the Original?
Critical praise in these reactions and reviews of Speak No Evil looks pretty high, meaning audiences could be in for another horror win this year.
The real test will be how the film stands up for those who love and admire the original 2022 movie. it is honestly crazy to think about how quickly the remake was commissioned in the first place.
The original Speak No Evil is incredibly dark. The best way to put it while avoiding spoilers is that, despite how good it is, it isn't a movie-going experience one would ever want to go through a second time.
So, with a remake Americanizing the story, it is easy to assume some major changes might be made that could curb the impact of the original story.
Currently, 2022's Speak No Evil has an 84% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 55% audience score (which accurately depicts how many might have felt walking out of the film for the first time).
Speak No Evil releases in theaters worldwide on September 13.
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