Who's seen both? I have not seen the U.S remake.
Here's my take on the original:
A nasty bit of business in the oddly burgeoning 'Travel nightmare' subgenre.
A Danish couple, Bjorn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), meet an overly friendly Dutch pair Patrick (Fedja van Huet) and Karin (Karina Smulders), in Tuscany. Each family has a young child. Some time later the Danes are invited to stay over for a weekend at Patrick's remote home in the Netherlands.
Right from the start, Sune Kolster's ominous score tips the viewer off that they are up to no good. Within hours, it becomes clear that these aren't the most matched set of families. Boundaries are crossed. Simple etiquette isn't followed. The children are mistreated. It isn't long before Louise wants to leave and go home.
Of course, if that happened, there would be no movie. Director Christian Tafdup (who also co-wrote with his brother Mads) amps up the tension in mostly subtle ways early on with moody lighting, camera angles and eerie natural sounds. As things progress, it gets uncomfortably darker and grim. The battle of wills between the two couples is interesting, with the kids being caught in the ever more dire crossfire.
The acting is fine with van Huet's faux cordgialness being particularly sinister. Still, this is one of those pictures where credibility is strained numerous times. One simply can't believe that no matter how “weak-willed” the Danes are, they wouldn't simply leave when they have the opportunity. For this kind of set-up to truly, believably, tick, Patrick and Karin have to display more carrots and not just stick, stick, stick.
By the time SPEAK NO EVIL reaches its brutally efficient climax, you may feel just like Bjorn and Karin do a couple of times– you'll want to take a shower afterward.
The original SPEAK NO EVIL is currently streaming on Hoopla (Free w/library card), AMC+ and Shudder. Also for rental. It's on DVD and import Blu Ray. The remake is in theaters.
Here's my take on the original:
A nasty bit of business in the oddly burgeoning 'Travel nightmare' subgenre.
A Danish couple, Bjorn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), meet an overly friendly Dutch pair Patrick (Fedja van Huet) and Karin (Karina Smulders), in Tuscany. Each family has a young child. Some time later the Danes are invited to stay over for a weekend at Patrick's remote home in the Netherlands.
Right from the start, Sune Kolster's ominous score tips the viewer off that they are up to no good. Within hours, it becomes clear that these aren't the most matched set of families. Boundaries are crossed. Simple etiquette isn't followed. The children are mistreated. It isn't long before Louise wants to leave and go home.
Of course, if that happened, there would be no movie. Director Christian Tafdup (who also co-wrote with his brother Mads) amps up the tension in mostly subtle ways early on with moody lighting, camera angles and eerie natural sounds. As things progress, it gets uncomfortably darker and grim. The battle of wills between the two couples is interesting, with the kids being caught in the ever more dire crossfire.
The acting is fine with van Huet's faux cordgialness being particularly sinister. Still, this is one of those pictures where credibility is strained numerous times. One simply can't believe that no matter how “weak-willed” the Danes are, they wouldn't simply leave when they have the opportunity. For this kind of set-up to truly, believably, tick, Patrick and Karin have to display more carrots and not just stick, stick, stick.
By the time SPEAK NO EVIL reaches its brutally efficient climax, you may feel just like Bjorn and Karin do a couple of times– you'll want to take a shower afterward.
The original SPEAK NO EVIL is currently streaming on Hoopla (Free w/library card), AMC+ and Shudder. Also for rental. It's on DVD and import Blu Ray. The remake is in theaters.
statistics: Posted by Joe Stemme — 11:38 PM - 1 day ago — Replies 0 — Views 85