The title, A Quiet Place, may sound like a PBS sleepy drama that follows Call the Midwife, but don’t be fooled. A Quiet Place is a standout horror surprise.
A Quiet Place is a horror film that lives or dies on its concept. It gives us a vision of the near-future where the world has entered the early years of an apocalypse. Most of the population has been wiped out by malicious creatures that hunt based on sound.
Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee (John Krasinski) have managed to protect their young family in the short time the world became silent. They have safe-guarded everything imaginable in order to maintain a life of silence and safety.
A Quiet Place marks the third directorial effort of John Krasinski (Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, The Hollars) and it proves that he has really come into his own. He, along with Danish cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (The Hunt, Far From the Madding Crowd), have truly crafted a film that keeps the viewer within its frame at all times. Each shot and edit feels purposeful and serves the story, the mood and the characters.
Beyond the visuals, the real beauty of A Quiet Place is built on the sound, and often lack thereof. These characters live their lives in fear of making the slightest sound. They use sign language to communicate, so viewer be warned, the majority of this movie is subtitled. Yet, keeping the dialogue limited, gives every line (spoken or signed) impact. The score is often limited as well. It sneaks up in the most subtle ways while still creating an environment of silence.
Honestly, you will notice every candy bag wrapper, popcorn crunch, sniffle and stupid comment that your fellow movie-goers are making and you may wish for the sound-attacking creatures to devour others near you.
None of this should take away from the anxiety and tension that A Quiet Place builds and delivers on. The cliche horror tropes are strong with this one, but they land 90% of the time. On top of that, this is a surprisingly emotional film, which adds a solid layer to an already great thriller.
A Quiet Place is a must see! Everyone in this small cast, from the adults to the children are perfect. This is 90 minutes that is so tightly-filled, that you’ll wish it could go longer, though your heart may not be able to take it. Do yourself a favor and take your friend who doesn’t love horror movies to see A Quiet Place this weekend. A-
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