How the Speak No Evil Remake Drastically Changes Its Ending From the Original

As a film enthusiast who’s spent countless hours dissecting the intricacies of cinema and its ability to mirror real-life scenarios, I must say that ‘Speak No Evil‘ is a chilling reminder of how our social niceties can sometimes blind us from danger.

Have you ever had a premonition about something potentially harmful and relied on your instincts to guide your actions? If that’s the case, it suggests you are more attuned to your intuition than the family portrayed in Speak No Evil, currently playing in cinemas.

In the 2022 English-language adaptation of Danish director Christian Tafdrup’s psychological horror film, an American family – Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) and Louise Dalton (Mackenzie Davis), along with their 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) – are spending a vacation in Tuscany. They unknowingly get entangled in the sinister plot of a ruthless English couple, Paddy Feld (James McAvoy) and Ciara Feld (Aisling Franciosi), who see them as their next victims in a series of murders they’ve been committing.

In the movie directed by James Watkins, known for “Eden Lake” and “The Woman in Black”, the story follows the family of the Daltons as they journey back to London before receiving an invitation to visit Paddy, Ciara, and their mute son Ant (Dan Hough) at the Felds’ farm in the West Country for a weekend. As “Speak No Evil” unfolds, it turns into a test of willpower not to shout warnings at the characters, as they seem oblivious to the mounting dangers. With each ominous sign that appears, the Daltons continue to put politeness above their instinct for self-preservation.

In a conversation with Total Film, Watkins discussed his approach to the story, stating, “I was considering filmmakers like Michael Haneke, Ruben Ostlund, and Mike White from The White Lotus – that style of unsettling comedy about human interaction. I think what intrigued me was the horror of everyday life and how we all navigate it. There’s enough terror in our daily existence that you could almost not need an underlying plot for the story.

The horror of social niceties

How the Speak No Evil Remake Drastically Changes Its Ending From the Original

In 2022, when the movie “Speak No Evil” (originally titled) was released, Tafdrup mentioned that the film aimed to critique the strong emphasis on social norms and conventions within Scandinavian culture.

He explained to Nordic Watchlist that the foundation of his work revolves around discomfort and unease, a typical Scandinavian trait. “We Scandinavians tend to avoid expressing our emotions,” he said. “Instead, we prioritize politeness and good manners. This cultural norm greatly influences our behavior and perspectives. In contrast to people from America or England, we don’t openly discuss our feelings or display much enthusiasm. Instead, we downplay our reactions, which often leads to a sense of awkwardness in social situations.

In Watkins’ adaptation, he swaps out the Danes with liberally minded Americans passively, and the Dutch with overly enthusiastic, albeit rough, Brits. This change, made by the British author himself, is essential for him to accurately portray the intricacies of the story.

He shared with Total Film that the common stereotype suggesting Brits are oppressed while Americans are outspoken may not always hold true in his experience. Instead, he’s found many Americans, especially those from the East Coast, to be reserved. This observation led him to believe that he could embody such qualities, and then delve into a variety of themes like landscape, mythology, and English humor, which he felt he could explore more deeply.

In the initial two acts, the Daltons exhibit an astonishing level of tolerance, accommodation, or explanation for the Feld family’s increasingly questionable social behavior. This ranges from Paddy compelling vegetarian Louise to eat a valuable roasted goose, to Ciara allowing Agnes to sleep in her and Paddy’s bed after a nightmare, up to the emotional tension that seems to taint almost every encounter they have.

After Louise finds out about the inappropriate sleeping arrangement, the family decides to flee the house unexpectedly at dawn, but then they come back after Agnes remembers she forgot her cherished plush rabbit toy and manages to persuade them to remain.

In most horror films, there are instances when viewers shake their heads at a character’s seemingly foolish choices. However, with the movie “Speak No Evil“, it seems like nearly every scene is filled with such questionable decisions from beginning to end.

An Americanized ending

How the Speak No Evil Remake Drastically Changes Its Ending From the Original

The first two parts of Watkins’ film Speak No Evil closely follow the original, which is typical for American adaptations of European movies. However, unlike the original’s grim and pessimistic conclusion by Tafdrup, the third act of this remake presents a drastically different ending.

Despite experiencing significant amounts of violence and emotional turmoil, the Dalton family seems to have a less harsh experience compared to similar Danish families. In the story, it’s Ben (also known as Bjorn) who uncovers the horrifying truth that the people they are staying with are actually serial killers. This duo has a pattern of tricking vacationing couples with young children, then murdering the parents, removing the child’s tongue, and compelling the survivor to pretend to be their own offspring in order to lure more victims.

Later, Bjorn discovers Abel (also known as Ant) deceased in the swimming pool, which causes him to panic and leave with his family. However, it’s already too late, and Patrick and Karin (known as Paddy and Ciara) track them down. In a chilling act, they mute Agnes by cutting out her tongue while her parents are forced to watch, and then brutally stone Bjorn and Louise to their deaths. When Bjorn inquires from Patrick about the reason behind these actions, Patrick casually replies, “It’s because you allowed me.

This time, Ant manages to make Agnes understand what’s going on, allowing her to inform her parents about the circumstances. A nerve-wracking standoff occurs as the Dalton family attempts to depart, transforming the story into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Eventually, the good characters manage to defeat their opponents and survive the entire ordeal.

According to Watkins, the reason he softened the ending of his film was because he wasn’t inclined to create another “extremely grim” or “bleak” production.

As a fan, I found Tafdrup’s movie to be a clever blend of satire and social rule examination, offering insights into human reactions. Essentially, it provides an exhilarating thrill-ride with profound themes that spark engaging conversations – making the experience not only entertaining but intellectually nourishing, like a tasty meal at the pub followed by stimulating discussion.

2024-09-13 15:08

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