"A Violent, Deadly Game of Survival"
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What You Need To Know:
SPEAK NO EVIL tells a scary story. It evolves into a violent, deadly game of survival. Ben and Louise Dalton display great courage as they defend both children from the rampaging villain and his wife. Sadly, SPEAK NO EVIL has some bloody and excessive violence, two disturbing scenes involving the young boy, about 25 “f” words, and three strong profanities. Also, the villain makes an implied sexual threat against the girl, and there’s a gratuitous outdoor sculpture or artwork of male genitals. So, the disturbing, negative content in SPEAK NO EVIL gravely and sorely undermines its positive content.
Content:
More Detail:
SPEAK NO EVIL is a remake of a 2022 Danish movie about a family visiting the isolated rural farm of another family they met on vacation, but the first family increasingly finds out there’s something terribly wrong with the father of the second family. SPEAK NO EVIL tells a scary story that evolves into a violent, deadly game of survival, but the movie has some bloody and excessive violence, two disturbing scenes involving a child, lots of strong foul language, a verbal threat of pedophilia, and a gratuitous image of a dirty nude artwork.
After moving to London for work reasons, Ben and Louise Dalton take their 11-year-old daughter, Agnes, on vacation in Italy. The family meets a gregarious Englishman named Paddy, Paddy’s wife, Ciara, and their mute son, nicknamed Ant. Paddy explains that Ant is mute because his tongue was not fully formed in the womb. Paddy and his family seem friendly enough, and the two families exchange addresses.
Back in London, Ben and Louise receive an invitation from Paddy to visit his family’s farm in rural Northern England. They agree, but the farm turns out to be more isolated than Paddy implied. Also, their daughter, Agnes, must share an attic room with the boy, Ant.
Slowly, it becomes clear that Paddy is somewhat of a bully. For example, although Louise is a vegetarian, he cajoles her into eating a slice of the roast goose he cooked for their arrival. Rudely, she spits it out when his back is turned.
At first, Paddy and his wife always find a somewhat reasonable excuse for Paddy’s behavior. It placates Ben, but Louise grows increasingly uncomfortable.
Then, however, it comes out that Ben and Louise have a troubled marriage. Louise is upset that she agreed to move the family to London for a new job Ben wanted. However, the job didn’t pan out, and now he’s either looking for work or looking for a better job. Meanwhile, Ben caught Louise getting a nude photo text on her phone from another man. Also, their daughter, Agnes, clings to a stuffed rabbit toy. Her behavior annoys and even angers Ben because he think she’s old enough now, being nearly 12, to get beyond such childish obsessions.
It becomes increasingly clear, however, that Paddy has a much darker side. In fact, Paddy’s son, Ant, tries to warn Agnes about his father’s darker side.
Eventually, things come to a head. The Dalton’s actually find themselves fighting for their lives against Paddy and even Paddy’s wife, who’s become co-dependent on Paddy, even though he apparently sometimes beats her.
SPEAK NO EVIL tells a scary, sometimes unpleasant story. When the true nature of Paddy’s dark side is revealed, the viewer’s allegiance to the Daltons is greatly enhanced. So, the movie’s third act is filled with lots of exciting tension and suspense. Thus, in the screening MOVIEGUIDE® attended, viewers clapped enthusiastically when the Daltons got the better of Paddy and his wife during the third act. Adding to that was fact that Ben and Louise Dalton are not only defending their own daughter throughout the third act, they’re also defending Paddy’s son. Louise and Ben’s courage in defending the two children is really inspiring. It gives the movie a strong moral worldview overall, despite the evil displayed by the young boy’s parents.
That said, the third act has some bloody and excessive violence. For instance, Paddy has a friend helping him in his attempts to kill the Daltons. However, he eventually gets a hammer claw piercing his skull before he can kill anyone. There’s also a bloody scene where Paddy’s son angrily and viciously attacks his father. The son’s attack is warranted on the one hand because of the evil physical abuse Paddy has been unleashing on his son over the years. On the other hand, the viciousness of the son’s attack is over-the-top and disturbing because it involves a child.
In addition, SPEAK NO EVIL also has about 25 “f” words and three strong profanities. There’s also a scene where Paddy threatens the Daltons’ young daughter with making her his new wife. His threat is real, because earlier in the movie it’s suggested that Paddy took advantage of his wife before they were married, when she was a minor, and he was an adult. Also, the families share a marijuana cigarette. Finally, while driving to Paddy and Ciara’s place, Ben and Louise see a lewd artwork on a hillside of an American Indian without any pants. The image is too graphic and explicit.
When combined together, the negative content in SPEAK NO EVIL ultimately goes too far. The disturbing, negative content in SPEAK NO EVIL gravely and sadly undermines the movie’s exciting, positive and courageous content and behavior.
