The American remake doesn’t pack the brutal punch and thematic weight of the original, but it still works as a tense and gripping psychological thriller with some strong performances.
With the Danish original still fresh in my memory, watching this movie was an interesting experience. It loses a lot in translation and could be uncharitably described as a more commercial and watered-down version that doesn’t have the guts to follow the original into the same dark places, but though vastly superior from an artistic standpoint, the Danish ending is also something I’d never want to sit through twice. It may be a lesser movie of the two, but I’m also grateful to it for not crushing my soul.
For roughly two thirds of the film, the remake leaves most of the original intact. Once again, it explores the dynamic between two very different families who meet while in Tuscany. Louise and Ben Dalton (Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy) are a couple from the United States who relocated to London with their daughter Agnes, but have fallen on hard times personally and professionally. Their sedate holiday is interrupted by the arrival of a British couple, Paddy and Ciara (James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi), with a son of Agnes’ age who can’t speak clearly due to a birth deformity.
Louise and Ben are instantly charmed by the freewheeling, easy-going, bohemian quality of the Brits, so when they receive an invitation to spend a weekend at Paddy and Ciara’s country house, the fond memories and cracks in their own marriage prompt them to accept. As soon as the Daltons arrive, red flags begin popping all over the place. They excuse and explain them away as cultural differences, misunderstandings and quirks of personality, but eventually it dawns on them that their hosts might be genuinely, dangerously unhinged.
The perils of politeness and fear of confrontation were powerfully explored in the original, which was essentially a chilling cautionary tale with a ruthless conclusion that made you want to curl into a ball from the sheer, palpable sense of evil. Though the remake touches on the same points, with scenes and lines of dialogue reproduced beat for beat, they’re not carried out anywhere as effectively and don’t hit as hard. It could simply be that these themes get lost during cultural transfer. The original was a very pointed critique of the Danish middle class, and this kind of polite passivity is maybe not the first stereotype that comes to mind when you think of the Americans. It could also be the difference in tone, with the remake leaning more into humour and lacking the original’s disquieting atmosphere.
The movie then is more like a cautionary tale about the dangers of running into a secret psychopath, a role that James McAvoy throws himself into with true red-blooded gusto. Middle age (plus some serious workout) has filled him out, making him a credible physical threat with a crass, exaggerated masculine swagger. He’s always been a committed and entertaining performer, and here Paddy’s easy charm and rough-and-tumble charisma are crucial if we’re to believe that the Daltons would overlook the early warning signs that something is not quite right with him.
Mackenzie Davis is another standout playing a character who initially comes off as rather strident and not very likeable, but whose protective mama bear instincts come roaring into action during the final act. Again, I felt like the movie lost something in shifting the focus to Louise instead of the timid Danish husband in the original, but Davis’ compelling performance is a trade-off I was happy with.
The third act is where the remake deviates completely, opting for the more conventional chase and thrills that are still well-executed and kept me on the edge of my seat. At the very very end, it does inject some darkness from an unexpected source and even hints on the possibilities of a continued circle of violence. It’s all a bit last-minute, but I appreciated the remake holding on to some of the original’s bleakness. Overall, it may lack its creativity, biting social commentary and devastating impact, but unlike many pointless remakes out there it can stand on its own as a good solid thriller.
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