Speak No Evil (2022) Review

The original Speak No Evil is a Danish horror-thriller that premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and serves as the basis for the 2024 remake.

Bjørn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch) are a Danish couple vacationing in Italy with their young daughter, Agnes (Liva Forsberg). They befriend a Dutch couple, Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders), and are offered a chance to visit the East of Holland. However, when Bjørn and Louise arrive in the Netherlands, they find the Dutch couple’s behaviour off-putting and become more uncomfortable as their weekend progresses.

Speak No Evil was met with positive reviews and it was acquired by IFC Films and Shudder, distributors known for genre films. It is available on Shudder in the UK. The release of the remake will probably drive up in the European offering. Audience members who discover the original Speak No Evil will film a bleak and depressing offering that’s far from the mainstream.

Speak No Evil was a film that was about discomfort and escalation. It plays like a dark comedy during the first two acts as Patrick and Karin push Bjørn and Louise to breaking point. This made Speak No Evil a little like the Austrian film Funny Games where a vacationing couple is tortured by their neighbours. Patrick and Karin charmed the Danes by talking about the similarity between their nations and insulting the Swedes, Denmark’s mortal enemy. Patrick had a charm to him and convinced Bjørn and Louise, that he didn’t mean to be rude and gaslight them so they felt like they were the problem.

This discomfort was particularly effective with Bjørn since he was a mild-mannered, middle-aged dad who didn’t show any signs of aggression. This was effective when he finally did snap since he had a basic level of empathy.  Bjørn was the main focus of the film since he stood in contrast where to Patrick who was good-looking, charming, and confident. Bjørn was an everyman that many people could relate to him. At times I wanted to yell at the screen for him to take his family and run away from the Dutch couple. There was a moment where he came close.

The first two acts had an uneasy quality to them. The horror really began in the final act. It went down a dark and shocking direction. It was horribly bleak in a European tradition. Horror fans who like their ending dark will enjoy this version of Speak No Evil. It’s an ending most Hollywood films wouldn’t dare to do.

Like the main characters, Speak No Evil was a cruel and sadistic little film that leaves an impact. It was a hard and uncomfortable watch in the best way possible.