Director James Watkins’ pretty-good remake of “Speak No Evil,” a reminder to trust your suspicions about who’s inviting you for a weekend in the country, comes from the 2022 Danish thriller released in the U.S. (now streaming on Shudder) under the same title. It’s well-acted and carefully paced for simmering dread, and James McAvoy gets to go full-on “Split”ville with the frothing villainy one more time.

The remake does, however, go its own, less downbeat way with mixed results dramatically, though presumably better results moneywise. “Speak No Evil” also brings up the question of enjoyably queasy psychological horror versus stuff that’s a bit of a chore, or a drag. Watkins, who made “Eden Lake” and “The Woman in Black,” ends up splitting the difference. Which means see it, if you’re inclined, and find out which side of the “versus” you’re on.

The relocation of the “Speak No Evil” storyline works nicely, since hospitality, like psychopathology, knows no geographical boundaries. On vacation in Tuscany, a family of Americans living, uneasily, in London — mother Louise, father Ben and nearly 12-year-old daughter Agnes — meet another family trio from rural England. The parents, Paddy and Ciara, have a young boy, Ant, who is dealing with speech delays and who is essentially mute, as well as plainly troubled.

Paddy invites Ben and Louise to get out of London and explore and come visit. The kids get along; even with Paddy’s oddly controlling streak, and peculiar notions of discipline, currently unemployed and morose Ben craves a break, and Louise figures, what’s the worst that could happen? “Speak No Evil” provides the answer, as young Agnes learns some frightening truths from Ant about his life on the farm with his parents. It escalates from there, though director Watkins does, I think, maintain an almost too-steady rhythm of cat-and-mouse tension in the final third.

The ideas in the original film, and here, stick to themes of the very high price people can pay for being too nice, or trusting. Paddy’s politics aren’t spelled out, but he has no patience with gas-free cars (his guests roll up in a Tesla) or lax discipline when it comes to complaining children (he’s plainly violent-tempered).

The rural English setting recalls Sam Peckinpah’s vicious “Straw Dogs,” with the emasculated Eeyore of “Speak No Evil” — the father played by Scoot McNairy — searching for ways to restore his ego and mitigate his own anger issues. Mackenzie Davis, who really goes for it in her reaction-shot close-ups of Louise freaking out, has more to play; Louise has cheated, to some degree, on her husband, and the marriage has been wobbly ever since. McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi, as the hosts with the aggressive smiles hiding a secret or three, gently probe the sensitive points of vulnerability in their guests. They modulate the tension with real finesse.

Is the movie a good time? It’s an effective experience, but good time? Not really, no. Does it risk as much audience hopelessness as the original? Hell no. I’m not advocating for audience hopelessness in general, or even here, necessarily. The preview crowd I joined the other night got what they wanted, based on the bursts of applause at Davis’ most rousing payback scenes. These involve hatchets and the like, because it’s a farm, and there it is, a hatchet waiting to be used.

The actors put it over, and Watkins is a genre filmmaker who believes in using his actors as more than pieces of plot in human clothing. That, I appreciate, with no reservations whatsoever.

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'SPEAK NO EVIL'

2.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for some strong violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use)

Running time: 1:50

How to watch: In theaters Sept. 13

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