MOVIE REVIEW: SPEAK NO EVIL

 

A dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when an American couple and their daughter spend the weekend at a British family's idyllic country estate.

Director: James Watkins

Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Scoot McNairy

Release Date: September 13, 2024

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for some strong violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use.

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

Speak No Evil is a thriller with a lot on its mind delivered in a glossy package by James Watkins paired with a fascinating and multifaceted turn from James McAvoy.  Watkins remake of the 2022 Danish film is immediately engaging and efficient in getting to the meat of the story.  The tension ramps up fairly quickly as we get to know each of the couples in greater detail and Watkins smartly allows his cast to carry the film.  Their interactions are increasingly uncomfortable and darkly funny throughout even if there aren't a ton of surprises in the story since it all plays out in a fairly predictable manner.  It all would have been much less entertaining if the film wasn't blessed with such a strong cast headlined by James McAvoy.  McAvoy runs the gamut of emotions, similar to his turn in 2016's Split, as the alpha male who can go from charming to menacing in the blink of an eye.  He maintains an impressive intensity throughout which is impressive but some of his more subtle mannerisms really flesh out the character giving him more depth and pathos.  His simmering energy is the oil that makes the entire engine run but Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi and Scoot McNairy prove to be more than capable of holding their own in slightly less showy roles.  Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy are impressively authentic as a married couple whose dysfunctional dynamics isn't all that difficult to spot.  Davis brings a perfect combination of liberal sweetness and passive aggressiveness to the character that pairs nicely with McNairy's beaten down emasculation.  Their interactions, especially the non verbal moments communicate so much about their relationship in such a believable manner than you can't but appreciate the work both actors turn in.  Aisling Franciosi does something similar as Paddy's pixie of a wife who's disarmingly sweet but clearly hiding something underneath.  They are all fascinating performances which standout even when compared to McAvoy's outsized turn.  The film faulters in its final act where things get crazier and slightly sillier, but it doesn't keep Speak No Evil from being a fun thrill ride.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER

 

Dracula's unholy presence dooms the crew of the merchant ship Demeter as it sails from Carpathia to London.

Director: André Øvredal

Cast: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Javier Botet

Release Date: August 11, 2023

Genre: Horror

Rated R for bloody violence

Runtime: 1h 58m

There's a built in predictability ingrained in The Last Voyage of the Demeter due to the nature of the story. However, the cast and crew do an admirable job of delivering some tension and thrills.  André Øvredal film borrow heavily from Ridley Scott's original Alien in terms of set up and structure, so much so that's hard to tell if it’s an homage or just straight up plagiarism, an early discussion about bonuses kind of leans me toward the latter.  Either way, Øvredal's self-assured style delivers a glossy, well shot film that establishes the setting and mood early on by keeping the monster in the shadows until the midpoint of the film.  The monster itself uses Count Orlok's design from 1922's Nosferatu as its basis which gives him a more animalistic and menacing look.  It makes the character a tangible threat to the collected human chum assembled for his feeding.  Corey Hawkins and Liam Cunningham lead the cast with deadly serious turns as the ship’s doctor and doomed captain.  They both deliver stoic, committed performances that make the film far more watchable than it deserves to be since the script doesn't flesh them too much.  They still manage to make the characters interesting enough to make the audience care about their wellbeing.  Aisling Franciosi and David Dastmalchian don't fare quite as well in supporting roles as they struggle to make their characters come off as more than one dimensional.  They do the best they can with underwritten characters but your left with the sense that some depth would have added to the overall quality of the film.  Ultimately, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is the very definition of disposable entertainment which delivers just enough to keep you entertained during its runtime, but it'll be quickly forgotten shortly thereafter.  

C+