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Speak No Evil (2024): A Missed Opportunity Wrapped in Predictability

The prospect of Speak No Evil (2024) intrigued me from the get-go. It’s a chilling thought: meeting strangers who could turn out to be sadistic killers—an everyday occurrence with terrifying possibilities. The potential for genuine thrills was there, but unfortunately, the film didn’t deliver the suspense it promised.

Image by IMDb

Something’s Just... Off

I can’t quite put my finger on what was "wrong" with this movie, but there’s definitely something missing. Speak No Evil takes its sweet time introducing us to the characters and setting up the plot. It’s like the film was determined to make sure we were well-acquainted with everyone before anything remotely exciting happened. It’s not inherently bad to build up your characters, but when you’re an hour into a thriller, and nothing thrilling has happened, there's a problem.
Image by CBR

James McAvoy: The Misfire Performance

I usually consider James McAvoy a standout star, but in this film, he just didn’t land for me. Instead of coming across as the unhinged, sadistic villain I was hoping for, he felt more like an angry man just going through the motions. Maybe I expected too much, but his performance made it hard to believe he was someone truly menacing. There was a lack of depth and fear that you usually get from McAvoy, which left his character feeling oddly hollow.
Image by IndieWire

Where’s the Real Fear?

This might make me sound a bit unhinged myself, but I kept waiting for something more. I wanted something truly cruel, torturous—something that would elevate the fear factor beyond just a surface-level threat. Yes, the concept of someone trying to kill you is frightening, but for a horror-thriller, I wanted the film to go that extra mile. Instead, the film feels like it played it safe, never fully committing to the horror it promised.
Image by PipeDream

The Boy from the Trailer is Just... There

If you’ve seen the trailers, you might be expecting the boy to play a huge role in the movie. But he really doesn’t. The twist is apparent the moment his family steps on screen, and from that point on, you can pretty much guess the rest. It’s almost like the film expected you to be surprised by something you’ve already seen coming a mile away.
Image by Screen Rant

Too Much Hand-Holding in the Plot

The revelation of the "killer family" could’ve been an intense moment of dread and discovery. Instead, it’s handed to us on a silver platter. There’s no slow burn, no creeping realization; the boy literally tells the hunted family everything they need to know. It’s disappointing when a movie strips away all the suspense and lays out the mystery in such a neat little bow. It’s almost like the filmmakers were afraid we’d get lost if they didn’t spell everything out.
Image by IMDb

The Unnecessary “Quips” and Family Dynamics

One thing I did appreciate was that the "hunted" family fought back and fought hard. That being said, the movie suffered from that all-too-common 2020s quippy dialogue that didn’t belong in such a tense situation. As well, they had to follow the new trope of "the woman is better at everything". There’s one scene where the mother heroically saves her family, and it’s great. But then it happens again, and again, and suddenly, the husband is relegated to the role of a useless, dumb white guy. It’s a shame because there was a perfect opportunity to balance the heroics between the two, but the film was determined to stick to the trope. It’s frustrating when a movie feels like it’s ticking off a checklist of stereotypes instead of just telling a good story. It really was a miss. The father figure had been toted as a quiet and non-violent man, so to have him rise above what he usually is, would have been great to see.

Image by Screen Rant

Final Thoughts

Final Score: 4 out of 10

Speak No Evil had all the ingredients to be a masterpiece, but it feels like someone behind the scenes didn’t want to even lick the envelope, let alone push it. There’s a great movie hidden in here somewhere, but it never quite found its way to the surface. The performances were fine, but nothing truly stood out. The story? Well, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. I wasn’t mad by the end of it, just disappointed. It’s a film that promised so much but delivered so little.

Speak No Evil (2024): A Missed Opportunity Wrapped in Predictability

Intriguing Concept, Flat Execution

The prospect of Speak No Evil (2024) intrigued me from the get-go. It’s a chilling thought: meeting strangers who could turn out to be sadistic killers—an everyday occurrence with terrifying possibilities. The potential for genuine thrills was there, but unfortunately, the film didn’t deliver the suspense it promised.

Something’s Just... Off

I can’t quite put my finger on what was "wrong" with this movie, but there’s definitely something missing. Speak No Evil takes its sweet time introducing us to the characters and setting up the plot. It’s like the film was determined to make sure we were well-acquainted with everyone before anything remotely exciting happened. It’s not inherently bad to build up your characters, but when you’re an hour into a thriller, and nothing thrilling has happened, there's a problem.

James McAvoy: The Misfire Performance

I usually consider James McAvoy a standout star, but in this film, he just didn’t land for me. Instead of coming across as the unhinged, sadistic villain I was hoping for, he felt more like an angry man just going through the motions. Maybe I expected too much, but his performance made it hard to believe he was someone truly menacing. There was a lack of depth and fear that you usually get from McAvoy, which left his character feeling oddly hollow.

Where’s the Real Fear?

This might make me sound a bit unhinged myself, but I kept waiting for something more. I wanted something truly cruel, torturous—something that would elevate the fear factor beyond just a surface-level threat. Yes, the concept of someone trying to kill you is frightening, but for a horror-thriller, I wanted the film to go that extra mile. Instead, the film feels like it played it safe, never fully committing to the horror it promised.

The Boy from the Trailer is Just... There

If you’ve seen the trailers, you might be expecting the boy to play a huge role in the movie. But he really doesn’t. The twist is apparent the moment his family steps on screen, and from that point on, you can pretty much guess the rest. It’s almost like the film expected you to be surprised by something you’ve already seen coming a mile away.

Too Much Hand-Holding in the Plot

The revelation of the "killer family" could’ve been an intense moment of dread and discovery. Instead, it’s handed to us on a silver platter. There’s no slow burn, no creeping realization; the boy literally tells the hunted family everything they need to know. It’s disappointing when a movie strips away all the suspense and lays out the mystery in such a neat little bow. It’s almost like the filmmakers were afraid we’d get lost if they didn’t spell everything out.

The Unnecessary “Quips” and Family Dynamics

One thing I did appreciate was that the "hunted" family fought back and fought hard. That being said, the movie suffered from that all-too-common 2020s quippy dialogue that didn’t belong in such a tense situation. There’s one scene where the mother heroically saves her family, and it’s great—at first. But then it happens again, and again, and suddenly, the husband is relegated to the role of a useless, dumb white guy. It’s a shame because there was a perfect opportunity to balance the heroics between the two, but the film was determined to stick to the trope. It’s frustrating when a movie feels like it’s ticking off a checklist of stereotypes instead of just telling a good story.

Potential for Greatness That Never Quite Arrived

Speak No Evil had all the ingredients to be a masterpiece, but it feels like someone behind the scenes didn’t want to even lick the envelope, let alone push it. There’s a great movie hidden in here somewhere, but it never quite found its way to the surface.

Final Score: 4 out of 10

The movie could have been something special. The performances were fine, but nothing truly stood out. The story? Well, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. I wasn’t mad by the end of it, just disappointed. It’s a film that promised so much but delivered so little.

Pros:

  • Interesting Concept: The idea of meeting everyday people who turn out to be killers is genuinely unsettling.
  • Hunted Family Fighting Back: It was refreshing to see the family actually put up a fight rather than just be victims.
  • The Film's Atmosphere: There were a few moments that were genuinely creepy, but they were too few and far between.

Cons:

  • Predictable Plot: The twist is clear from the start, with no real surprises.
  • James McAvoy’s Performance: Normally a standout actor, his portrayal felt more angry than sadistic, missing the mark.
  • Pacing Issues: The movie takes too long to get to the point, dragging out introductions and setup.

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