Just saw the trailer for “Speak No Evil,” and let me tell you, it’s got me scratching my head. On the one hand, James McAvoy? Sign. Me. Up. Dude can creep me out like nobody’s business (remember “Split“? Shudders). But on the other hand, this trailer feels a bit…familiar.
Here’s the deal: the film follows an American family who takes a dream vacation to a charming British estate. Sounds idyllic, right? Wrong. Turns out, their seemingly perfect hosts harbor some seriously dark secrets. McAvoy plays the estate owner, Paddy, and let’s just say his hospitality takes a reallllly bizarre turn. Think awkward silences, unsettling stares, and maybe even a hidden basement (horror movie red flag alert!).
From Blumhouse, the producer of The Black Phone, Get Out and The Invisible Man, comes an intense suspense thriller for our modern age, starring BAFTA award-winner James McAvoy (Split, Glass) in a riveting performance as the charismatic, alpha-male estate owner whose untrammeled hospitality masks an unspeakable darkness.
Speak No Evil stars Mackenzie Davis (Terminator: Dark Fate, Halt and Catch Fire) and SAG award-winner Scoot McNairy (Argo, A Quiet Place Part II) as American couple Louise and Ben Dalton, who, along with their 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler; The Good Nurse, Riverdale), accept the weekend-holiday invitation of Paddy (McAvoy), his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi; Game of Thrones, The Fall) and their furtive, mute son Ant (newcomer Dan Hough).
Now, don’t get me wrong, the whole creepy host thing has been done before. But there’s something about McAvoy’s portrayal that makes it feel fresh. He’s got this unsettling intensity simmering just beneath the surface, and you can’t help but wonder what’s gonna explode next. Plus, the trailer throws in some disturbing imagery that’ll definitely stick with you (think scissors…don’t ask).
So, here’s the verdict: Intrigued? Absolutely. Sold? Ehhh, not quite yet. The trailer does a good job of building suspense, but it doesn’t quite reveal enough to truly hook me. Is “Speak No Evil” just another run-of-the-mill horror flick, or is there something more sinister lurking beneath the surface? Guess we’ll have to wait and see (pun intended). In the meantime, I’ll be keeping an eye out for more info, and maybe revisiting that “Split” marathon to get my McAvoy fix.
(Source: Universal)
