About the film (courtesy of Paramount Pictures):
Experience the day the world went quiet.
In a world inundated with sequels and prequels, A Quiet Place: Day One manages to carve out its own niche, delivering a fresh perspective on the terrifying universe introduced in the original films. While it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as its predecessors, it still manages to be an engaging and suspenseful thriller.
Lupita Nyong’o shines as the protagonist, carrying the emotional weight of the story with her expressive performance. Her character’s journey through the chaos of the alien invasion is both captivating and heartbreaking. The supporting cast, including Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou, while not as completely fleshed out, still deliver solid performances, adding to the overall tension and intrigue.
A Quiet Place: Day One is set in New York City where it provides a unique backdrop for the alien invasion. Well…unique if you completely ignore other films such as The Avengers (2012), Independence Day (1996), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), and Cloverfield (2008). Add in to natural disasters, along with various supernatural threats such as mutated humans, gremlins (Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)…look it up), ghosts and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, “The Big Apple” may as well be called “The Big Target”.
At any rate, the familiar urban landscape is transformed into a desolate wasteland, adding to the sense of isolation and danger. The visual effects are impressive, capturing the terrifying nature of the creatures and their devastating impact on the world.
Where A Quiet Place: Day One falters is in its pacing. The first half of the film is slow-paced, focusing on establishing the characters, as best it can, and setting. While this is important for setting the stage for the rest of the film, it does make the beginning feel a bit sluggish. The second half of the film picks up the pace considerably, delivering the thrilling action and suspense that fans of the franchise have come to expect.
The sound design, as in the previous films, is a key element in creating the suspenseful atmosphere. The absence of sound is used effectively to heighten the tension and make the audience feel the characters’ vulnerability. The few moments of sound are used sparingly, but to great effect, adding to the overall impact of the film.
Overall, A Quiet Place: Day One is a solid addition to the franchise. While it may not be as groundbreaking as the original, it still delivers a thrilling and suspenseful experience. The film’s strong performances, impressive visuals, and effective sound design make it a worthwhile watch for fans of the franchise and newcomers alike.
John Krasinski’s direction is sorely missed, even though he serves as one of the writers on A Quiet Place: Day One. Michael Sarnoski, who surely got this gig based mostly on a strong showing for his directorial work on Nicolas Cage’s Pig (2021), does a pretty decent job here.
This new chapter is still worth seeing even if (yeah I’m going to spoil things slightly here) they STILL don’t address the origin of these sound-hating aliens. I suppose we’ll just have to continue to wait for that to happen in “Day Zero” or whatever they call the next prequel to a prequel origin story. Because, why not?
A Quiet Place: Day One is in theaters starting Friday, June 28th. Don’t underestimate it’s PG-13 rating if you’re planning on bringing some younger ones. There’s still a good amount of uncomfortable thrills that might bring some tension, but seeing this in theaters is probably still the absolute best way to consume a film like this. Check it out.
