About the film (courtesy of Paramount Pictures):
Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.
For not having a lot of experience under his belt in terms of directing, John Krasinski hit it out of the park with his sophomore surprise hit A Quiet Place (2018). The Oscar-nominated sci-fi horror drama captivated audiences worldwide while providing a uniquely eerie theatrical experience, assuming you were one of the lucky millions to see it in that setting. I’m sure I’m with countless others on this point. That’s one of the reasons that it stung so much when Paramount Pictures pulled its sequel from its original release date of more than a year ago due to COVID-19 and remained steadfast on its position of patiently waiting for a return to some sort of normalcy before we could finally consume A Quiet Place Part II in the setting that it was made for, the theater.
There were many questioned left unanswered upon seeing the original film and that flustered a few folks. Fear not because A Quiet Place Part II takes on some of those questions while sheading light on some previously darker areas. That being said, Krasinski isn’t simply going to turn over the keys to the castle and show you what’s behind every door.
The tone of A Quiet Place Part II is almost identical to the first and does a wonderful job of providing continuity from the first to the second movie. With that being said, I highly recommend re-watching the first one prior to heading out for Part II. Emily Blunt reprises her role as Evelyn Abbott, as do Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe as Regan and Marcus, respectively. Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou are two of the newcomers that help expand this ever-growing story of survival.
As with most other sequels, A Quiet Place Part II looks to expand upon what made the first offering so successful. The tension can be felt throughout the movie probably even more so the second time around and that’s probably because you now know what to expect, or fear. There’s no shortage of breath-holding moments sprinkled throughout. The landscape is much larger this time around and there are more characters to interact with. This also means that there’s more potential for carnage and anxiety.
Ultimately A Quiet Place Part II is an expansion of what worked so well the first time around. You’re just getting more of it. Yes, you learn a bit more about the alien predators but you will also be left with more questions. There’s little doubt that this would be a huge success prior to April, 2020. It’ll be interesting to see how one of the legit box office contenders will do in an uncertain and tepid 2021 in terms of potential revenue to be had. But regardless of how this performs in the theater, there is more of this story that needs to be told. I just hope that Paramount Pictures gets a decent return on their investment so that more ‘Quiet’ is still a possibility.
If you were a fan of the first one, A Quiet Place Part II is definitely a must-see and it should live up to most of your expectations. The sequel is rated PG-13 just like the first and is within seven minutes of the runtime of the original. John Krasinski is proving that he has a great understanding of what works and doesn’t overreach in an attempt to this a grand spectacle or sellout. Staying true to your roots, especially if it works, is a good key to success. You can see this treat only in theaters right now.
