'Speak No Evil' Ending Explained: Dalton family struggles for survival in a cat-and-mouse climax

James Watkins's 'Speak No Evil' offers a psychological thriller that follows an ordinary family who meets a strange family
PUBLISHED SEP 13, 2024
'Speak No Evil' showcases a family fighting to survive a looming threat (@blumhouseproductions)
'Speak No Evil' showcases a family fighting to survive a looming threat (@blumhouseproductions)

Contains spoilers for 'Speak No Evil'

LONDON, ENGLAND: Ben Dalton (Scoot McNairy) and Louis Dalton (Mackenzie Davis) are reflecting on the lesson that one should not trust a stranger in the newest psychological 'Speak No Evil. It all started when the couple, together with their daughter Agnes Dalton (Alix West Lefler), were on a vacation but a fateful meeting with a family was merely the start of their forthcoming struggle. While Louis was always dubious of the family, Ben, naive, shrugged off his wife's mistrust and even decided to join the family at their countryside house.

From then on, the situation gets pretty troublesome as Ben and Louis begin to find the erratic conduct of Paddy (James McAvoy) extremely disconcerting. Not only that but when Ant (Dan Houg) also lets know Agnes about the dreadful truth concerning Paddy and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi). It turns out that Daltons are not the first guests of Paddy and Ciara, there were others too whom they ruthlessly slaughtered and to add, they exploited their kids as their own and used them to entice other families. In addition, the alarming truth that Ant's tongue was severed by them also speaks volumes about the violent couple. Agnes soon informs her parents about it and the family decides to depart, but Paddy is a step ahead of them, as he is already aware that the the Datlons are aware of his dark secret. 

Why does the Dalton family fail to escape in 'Speak No Evil'?

Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough in a still from 'Speak No Evil' (@blumhouseproductions)
Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough in a still from 'Speak No Evil' (@blumhouseproductions)

The Dalton family's plot to flee collapsed when they observed Paddy brutally pushing young Ant into the pond and in a rush to rescue the poor kid, Ben handovers the wheels to Louis and leaped into the pond to save the boy. However, soon the family is captured and is taken to the storage room, where Paddy first coerces Louis to transfer a big chuck of money and then begins preparing a sedative to inject her with; she acts quickly on her wits and launches a sudden assault on Paddy and Ciara.

After a brief scuffle, Daltons and Ant try to escape in the vehicle but are soon caught by Paddy's buddy, who fires at them. Left with no option, the family makes it back to the psychopath's home and bars all doors and windows. Meanwhile, Paddy and Ciara, who were locked in the store room, were released by their pal. Paddy quickly begins to blast loud music, terrifying the Dalton family, but soon they also come up with a plan. Using the alcohol bottles, they throw at them but regrettably, it also fails.

Left with no alternative, the couple attempts to locate any kind of weapon, and thankfully Louis gets her hand on sulfuric acid while Ben finds a hammer. The spouses hide the children in a closet and urge them to not come outside no matter what.

What happened to Paddy?

(blumhouseproductions)
James McAvoy in a still from 'Speak No Evil' (@blumhouseproductions)

Soon Paddy enters the home begins yelling Ant's name and reaches the closet. Sensing someone is inside, he unlocks the closet but discovers a phone there. Seeing Paddy off-guard, Louis splashes him with the acid, scorching the guy who yells out of agony. Louis flees with the children and Ben fight the friend, who is then killed by Louis with a hammer.

Soon, Ciara is seen washing Paddy's wounds, who asks her to fetch the family. She unwillingly leaves Paddy alone. Meanwhile, the Dalton family, along with Ant, attempts to escape via the rooftop but shortly Ciara intercepts them and in a tussle, she falls from the roof and is dead.

As the survivors descend to the ground, Paddy arrives and takes Agnes captive. Ben and Louis beg him not to injure their daughter and throw away the gun as well but at that time Agnes injects Paddy with the same sedative he was ready to administer to Louis earlier, which slows him down and he falls to the ground. The family tries to depart and invites Ant to join them but the young boy had enough of Paddy's torments. He sits on Paddy and kills him instantaneously while screaming and smashing his skull with a huge stone. 

'Speak No Evil' trailer



 

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