The 2024 remake of *Speak No Evil* marks a significant milestone for James McAvoy, achieving his highest Rotten Tomatoes audience score since 2014. Under the direction of James Watkins, the film centers on Ben (played by Scoot McNairy) and Louise Dalton (portrayed by Mackenzie Davis), who visit the home of Paddy (James McAvoy), a man they met during a vacation in Italy. Accompanying Paddy are his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their son Ant (Dan Hough). Although the family initially seems amiable and hospitable, the Daltons soon uncover a disturbing secret, realizing the hosts are not who they claim to be.
As viewers continue to rate the film on Rotten Tomatoes, McAvoy’s performance is earning him his best audience score since *X-Men: Days of Future Past* in 2014. At the time this article is published, the audience score stands at an impressive 85%, based on over 250 verified ratings. This matches the critics’ score, which boasts a certified fresh 85% approval rating drawn from 141 reviews. These scores may vary as additional ratings are tallied throughout the week.
Speak No Evil: James McAvoy’s Most Acclaimed Film in Recent Years
Prior to *Speak No Evil*, McAvoy’s last film to earn a Rotten Tomatoes critic score above 75% was *Atomic Blonde*.
The Rotten Tomatoes score for *Speak No Evil* also signifies his most positively reviewed film in quite some time. His previous film to garner substantial critical acclaim was 2017’s *Atomic Blonde*, holding a 79% approval rating on the site. Notably, it was the last film before *Speak No Evil* to receive a critics’ score above 75%. The audience ratings for his subsequent films have varied, with scores ranging from a low of 32% for Wim Wenders’ *Submergence* to a high of 80% for *The Book of Clarence*, although the latter received mixed critical reviews.
Most of McAvoy’s projects following *Atomic Blonde* did not achieve widespread critical or commercial success. For example, 2019’s *Dark Phoenix* is the most poorly reviewed film in the main *X-Men* franchise, with a mere 22% approval rating, significantly lower than *X-Men: Origins – Wolverine*, which has 38%. It also performed poorly at the box office, becoming the lowest-grossing film in the then-20th Century Fox franchise, earning just $252.4 million globally against a $200 million budget.
Why 2024's Speak No Evil Reviews & Rotten Tomatoes Score Are Even Better Than The Original Movie
While some films like *It: Chapter Two* fared better with mixed reviews and box-office success, McAvoy has not had a critical hit for some time. With the *Speak No Evil* remake, both critics and audiences have responded positively, and even those less enthusiastic about the film have praised McAvoy’s performance as its standout feature. This resurgence of success for McAvoy holds promise for his future projects.
*Speak No Evil* is adapted from the 2022 Danish film of the same name, directed by Christian Tafdrup, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to significant critical acclaim.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Speak No Evil (2024)
- Horror
- Thriller
Speak No Evil is a 2024 horror-thriller film by writer-director James Watkins. A remake of the 2022 movie Speak No Evil follows a family who head to the country for a much-needed vacation - but the situation quickly deteriorates, thrusting them into a horrific nightmare.
