The subgenre of good kids turned bad isn’t a very vast one, not surprising giving the challenges it presents. Finding not just one, but several children who can carry a role, be creepy, and have parents that are okay with watching their kids be a little less than friendly towards adults. On the other side of the spectrum, it’s surprising there aren’t more creepy kid horror films out there due to the mere fact it’s not only unexpected but still surprising as well. It’s also one of the subgenres that seems to delight horror fans when they find out one is around the corner.
Who expects little Tommy to go berserk on sweet ol’ Mrs. Williams down the street and her precious cat Muffin? No one, there’s the shock value. Films like BLOODY BIRTHDAY, THE CHILDREN (1980 & 2008), WHO CAN KILL A CHILD?, etc. bring out some of the best of what this subgenre has to offer. Then there are real stinkers like BEWARE! CHILDREN AT PLAY or the downright bizarre tale of Jamie and his band of flesh-eating monsters with THE PIT.
The plot of SPEAK NO EVIL is simple; one day, the kids in a small town disappear, three days later – they come back, unfortunately; they’re not quite the same as when they left. Soon parents become victims and the local church begins a hunt for anyone under the legal drinking age.
We spend a majority of the film following Becca (Annalise Cavender) and her daughter Joey (Olivia Cavender) who is the first child to go missing and the key to stopping the madness that’s fallen onto this small town. While both actresses do well with the source material and do their best to bring forward the characters as realistically as possible; the script doesn’t give them much to work with.
The rest of the cast falls much into the same category of being good if at the very least decent at their craft; but none ever excel and I attribute that to a script that needed another go through.
The main issue with this film is it starts as quickly as it fizzles out. The kids return and immediately something isn’t right, they don’t speak, they just quietly embrace their parents and everyone goes home. Not soon after they’re all using mom n’ dad as chew toys which brings out the ever faithful religious sect of the town to come take care of business. Just like that, it’s pretty much over. There’s never any real threat, retribution for any characters, it’s as cut and dry as cut and dry can get. Even gorehounds won’t find much here to rave about as it’s on and off the screen as quick as it’s suggested.
While for some films, that’s not necessarily a bad thing – I mean mindless entertainment is not something I’m opposed to turning a cheek to – in this film’s case, it is the biggest hindrance. The film needs that set up, it needs the calm before the storm, and it needs to establish the kids as something other than the demonic entities they return as. We know nothing about the families, the children that return to them until they’re being slaughtered and even then we’re only given bits of a story. In short; it doesn’t work.
A film that has an otherwise strong plot and a capable cast unfortunately falls pretty flat. It does nothing to shock or surprise, it doesn’t set itself up well enough to be creepy or unnerving, it’s just sort of…there. Had the script been given another once over or two by a fresh set of eyes, this one might have fared better but unfortunately; it’s not even one I can recommend as a rental. It’s just not worth the time and there is so much better out there in this subgenre that offer a more visceral and memorable experience.
SPEAK NO EVIL is currently available for pre-order on iTunes and DVD available Dec. 2nd.
Directed by: Roze
Starring: Greg Bronson, Annalise Cavender, Elisabeth Cavender, Olivia Cavender
