The Daltons’ family unit, which also includes daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are strangely drawn to Paddy, his partner Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their son Ant (Dan Hough). Louise is hesitant but Ben sees a free spirit in Paddy that he misses in himself and is willing to look past the eccentricities that Paddy has in overabundance. After the Italian holiday finishes, they are invited to join their new friends at their home in England.

What starts as a fairly straightforward domestic tale turns very strange as the threesome ventures into the weird world of Paddy and his farm. As the oddities add up slowly at first and then quickly, the dynamic changes. Then things take a step to the extreme. Friendship turns adversarial and it makes you look at things in an entirely different manner.

James McAvoy’s acting chops are on full display here. He keeps you on the knife’s edge throughout with a performance that is both unsettling and menacing. This is needed to keep your interest as the story slows down and offers few surprises in the final reel. In the parlance of gymnastics, Speak No Evil fails to stick the landing. With McAvoy’s performance in mind, it’s still a worthwhile view but has the aftereffect of preventing you from ever becoming friends with strangers you meet on holiday.
Rob Hudson
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From Blumhouse, the producer of The Black Phone, Get Out and The Invisible Man, comes an intense suspense thriller for our modern age, starring BAFTA award-winner James McAvoy (Split, Glass) in a riveting performance as the charismatic, alpha-male estate owner whose untrammeled hospitality masks an unspeakable darkness.

Speak No Evil stars Mackenzie Davis (Terminator: Dark Fate, Halt and Catch Fire) and SAG award-winner Scoot McNairy (Argo, A Quiet Place Part II) as American couple Louise and Ben Dalton, who, along with their 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler; The Good Nurse, Riverdale), accept the weekend-holiday invitation of Paddy (McAvoy), his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi; Game of Thrones, The Fall) and their furtive, mute son Ant (newcomer Dan Hough).

Written for the screen and directed by James Watkins, the writer-director of Eden Lake and the award-winning gothic ghost story The Woman in Black, Speak No Evil is based on the screenplay of the 2022 Danish horror sensation Gæsterne, written by Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdrup. That film earned 11 Danish Film Awards nominations, the Danish equivalent of the Oscars.

Speak No Evil is produced by Jason Blum (Five Nights at Freddy’s, M3GAN) for Blumhouse and by Paul Ritchie (McMafia, The Ipcress File) and is executive produced by Beatriz Sequeira for Blumhouse, Jacob Jarek and Christian Tafdrup.
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From Blumhouse, the producer of The Black Phone, Get Out and The Invisible Man, comes an intense suspense thriller for our modern age, starring BAFTA award-winner James McAvoy (Split, Glass) in a riveting performance as the charismatic, alpha-male estate owner whose untrammeled hospitality masks an unspeakable darkness.

Speak No Evil stars Mackenzie Davis (Terminator: Dark Fate, Halt and Catch Fire) and SAG award-winner Scoot McNairy (Argo, A Quiet Place Part II) as American couple Louise and Ben Dalton, who, along with their 11-year-old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler; The Good Nurse, Riverdale), accept the weekend-holiday invitation of Paddy (McAvoy), his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi; Game of Thrones, The Fall) and their furtive, mute son Ant (newcomer Dan Hough).

Written for the screen and directed by James Watkins, the writer-director of Eden Lake and the award-winning gothic ghost story The Woman in Black, Speak No Evil is based on the screenplay of the 2022 Danish horror sensation Gæsterne, written by Christian Tafdrup and Mads Tafdrup. That film earned 11 Danish Film Awards nominations, the Danish equivalent of the Oscars.

Speak No Evil is produced by Jason Blum (Five Nights at Freddy’s, M3GAN) for Blumhouse and by Paul Ritchie (McMafia, The Ipcress File) and is executive produced by Beatriz Sequeira for Blumhouse, Jacob Jarek and Christian Tafdrup.
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The story revolves around actions set in Berlin during the last dying days of the communist separation of that city. An end that came to fruition in 1989. As is evident in all good period pieces, the fashions and social values of the day are also the stars. The film pulsates with a great eighties soundtrack that adds even more to the feel of the decade the film is set in.

Theron as said super spy is impossibly skilled at her job and she plays it as badass as any male actor could. It becomes less about gender and more about the power of her intent and intellect. James McAvoy, impressive as aways plays a super sleazy fellow agent and the two provide a fair amount of sparks on screen.

As with all good spy yarns, there are double crosses and triple crosses and you don’t know it’s over till it’s over. And then when you think you’ve finally figured it all out, they throw that final surprise at you. It’s a roller coaster ride.

Rob Hudson
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McAvoy is in top form and uses all the means in his substantial bag of thespian tricks. He commandingly inhabits the central character of Dennis, who suffers from multiple personality disorder. It’s a twitchy and mesmerising performance that keeps the audience in an almost constant state of unease. He accomplishes this almost entirely with physical acting that uses a minimal amount of make up and costume support.

The movie dips into the horror film approach often and relies heavily on sound cues to direct the audience’s emotions. Very little believable information is given about Dennis and his actual condition, so his disorder is played out in a very one dimensional way. While this does little to give the character a human connection, it does succeed as the basis of a horror franchise film.

Some sympathy towards those with mental health issues would have given the film a less strident tone but this would have probably taken most out of the horror mode. Split is worth a view for McAvoy’s work but does little to advances the understanding of those in need.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/UniversalPicturesAU

After an almost three decade long hiatus, Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) is back and the gang gathers once again to investigate. The years have not been good to all and the film takes its time to bring you up to speed with their adult lives. The theme of a lifelong friendship growing out of childhood pursuits is tested.

As is the premise that true horror is created in one’s own psyche and fears. This leads to some very inventive nightmares. It is presented as more creepy than terrifying and relies on a number of movie making techniques to present the visual fireworks. These are seamlessly blended together.

The film relies quite heavily on the audience knowing the characters and their personalities from the first chapter, so it’s a good idea to revisit part one beforehand or dig into the 1138 pages of the book. If you come prepared, It Chapter Two will more than satisfy those with a taste for a heavy helping of Stephen King derived thrills.

Rob Hudson
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Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise, he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, kids are disappearing again, so Mike, the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all…putting them directly in the path of the clown that has become deadlier than ever.

IT CHAPTER TWO is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Bill Skarsgård.

IT CHAPTER TWO releases in Australian cinemas on September 5, 2019.
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Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise, he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, kids are disappearing again, so Mike, the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all… putting them directly in the path of the clown that has become deadlier than ever.

IT CHAPTER TWO is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars James McAvoy, Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Bill Skarsgård.

IT CHAPTER TWO releases in Australian cinemas on September 5, 2019!
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We also see Sophie Turner, she of Game Of Thrones fame, take on the role of Jean Grey who becomes Phoenix. We first meet Jean as a little girl who has no real clue about the extent of her mutant powers. When she discovers their true power, it leads to a traumatic and tragic event that becomes a life changing event.

The origin side of the story takes its time to develop but in the film’s last reel, the crazy ramps up to considerable heights. There is a battle between an alien life force and almost the entire roster of X-Men and it is spectacular. Each of the X-Men’s powers are tested to the fullest and often times they come up short.

The underlining theme of this film as with many others in the franchise is the importance of family and not necessarily the one you are born with. It’s a valid inclusion The film in parts is amazing to look at but feels more like a charter of a bigger storyline than a self standing movie. Time will tell where the X-Men franchise goes from here.

Rob Hudson
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Because every 27 years evil revisits the town of Derry, Maine, “IT CHAPTER TWO” brings the characters—who’ve long since gone their separate ways—back together as adults, nearly three decades after the events of the first film.

IT CHAPTER TWO is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Bill Skarsgård, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs and Jack Dylan Grazer.

IT CHAPTER TWO releases in Australian cinemas on September 5, 2019.
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