Review: 'Speak No Evil' is a chilling tale of vacationing couples with dark secrets, and a showcase for James McAvoy's particular brand of mayhem

There may be no actor working today who inhabits the mind and well-toned body of a psychopath as effectively as James McAvoy — and his performance in “Speak No Evil,” a chilling remake of a 2022 Danish psychological thriller, is proof of that genuinely scary talent.

The Daltons, Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davis), are an American couple living in London with their 11-year-old daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler). They’re on vacation in Italy when they encounter another family: McAvoy’s character, Paddy, along with his wife, Ciara (Aisling Franciosi, from “The Last Voyage of the Demeter”), and Ant (Dan Hough), a boy about Agnes’ age. Ant is mute, a result of being born with an underdeveloped tongue, claims Paddy, who tells our family that he’s a doctor.

The adults in the two families hit it off, so much so that Paddy invites the Daltons to visit them in the West Country of England sometime. The Daltons are in a rocky point in their marriage — Ben saw his dream job in London evaporate, and they’re living off the severance package — so a trip to the country sounds like a perfect way to rewind and reset.

The visit seems to go well at first, but soon Louise notices small things that irritate her — starting with Paddy’s insistence on serving meat to Louise, who has proclaimed that she’s a vegetarian. What particularly upsets Louise is the harsh way Paddy treats Ant. Meanwhile, when Ant is alone with any of the Daltons, he tries to communicate with them, but struggles to make himself understood as the mood grows increasingly tense.

Viewers of the bleak 2022 Danish version will either be irritated or relieved by the changes made in the script by British writer-director James Watkins (who helmed “The Woman in Black,” Daniel Radcliffe’s first major post-“Harry Potter” film). Watkins builds the tension between the two couples in measured doses, while also serving up some salty commentary on masculinity in the comparison between McNairy’s emasculated Ben and McAvoy’s rugged alpha Paddy. The juxtaposition of Davis’ tightly wound Louise and Franciosi’s earth-mother Ciara provides some intriguing contrasts as well.

But when the plot of “Speak No Evil” kicks into high gear, and the secret behind this overly friendly country couple is revealed, the thrills and horror go into overdrive. It’s here where McAvoy lets it rip, a payoff for 90 minutes of coiled anticipation.

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‘Speak No Evil’

★★★

Opens Friday, September 13, in theaters everywhere. Rated R for some strong violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use. Running time: 110 minutes.