An increasingly unnerving & uncomfortable psychological horror that invokes an air of unease from its opening scene and ultimately descends into an inescapable nightmare, Speak No Evil hints at dark machinations at play even when nothing is happening and makes deft use of the genre elements to deliver a film that's wicked, unforgiving, gut-punching & downright nihilistic.
Co-written & directed by Christian Tafdrup, the premise is simple but the setup isn't hurried as Tafdrup takes his time to acquaint us with the families before disturbing details start surfacing. While it isn't difficult to figure out where the plot is headed and how the unraveling events may play out, it doesn't make the ride any easier as the sense of discomfort only escalates with zero respite.
Brimming with an atmosphere that builds up quietly and is smothering in its intensity once the intentions become clear, the film also benefits from its disconcerting score that forewarns the audience of awaiting malice with its foreboding tracks. The actors chip in with solid inputs but the Danes making awful choices even after several red flags does hurt our investment in them and it only gets worse later.
Overall, Speak No Evil intends to shock, provoke & upset its viewers with its brutal take on the extent to which people choose to stay polite in the face of misdeeds & unpleasantness and at times end up playing an incriminating role in their own torment. And the film takes that idea to the extreme in the finale which will frustrate some. In short, this Danish chiller is a harrowing blend of The Strangers, The Invitation & Funny Games.
