Published by: Anthony Wallace
A family taking refuge in the outskirts of town are surrounded by creatures that hunt by sound. Their new way of life becomes challenged as obstacles begin to mount with survival on the line. The film is directed by actor John Krasinski and stars himself with fellow actress Emily Blunt.
There has been an uptick in actors turned director in the last few years; a good example, Joel Edgerton who made his directorial debut with ‘The Gift‘ in 2015. The film was met with praise by critics and was favored by audiences. A promising start that would make way for other actors to get their fair chance. With ‘A Quiet Place‘, actor John Krasinski takes a rather simple idea and turns into a suspenseful and smart piece of work.
From a cinematic perspective the film was gorgeous to look at with amazing cinematography. The attention to detail also made the movie that more rewarding as you truly felt what was at stake given the circumstances the characters had to live through. For a good majority of the movie there was little to no use of background music thus replaced by natural sounds. Doing so allows the viewer to stay in suspense while hammering in the idea of what can be taken for granted in the everyday life of humanity. As creatures seem to be taking over the world they are attracted to sound. By committing noise it gets their attention and thus leads to an attack. To live in a new age of silence will challenge everything you once lived and the new reality that comes with it.
The acting is top notch with both Emily Blunt and John Krasinski as their chemistry makes the viewer believe everything that is happening throughout. Never was there a moment when you questioned their motives because of how careful they were to prepare for if or when a threat was imminent. The children in the film, played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, were great as each of them had their own personal struggles; especially during the opening sequence as a loved one suffers an early demise. From that event it carries on throughout the movie and eventually brings closure by the film’s end.
Some of the best moments came from when the wife, Evelyn Abbott, had to bare a child while chaos ensued. The suspense kept building and building and wouldn’t let go. More importantly however never did the film feel like it had to go out of its way in exposing what or where the creatures came from. A typical cliche that many movies fall victim to and thus destroys the mystery behind their existence. No exposition or voice-over from any of the characters at any point during the film. It was just a matter of living in that moment of time and experiencing the disruption of life that befall the family. The ending also brought a little bit of laughs with much satisfaction as credits began to roll.
From an actor turned director, John Krasinski is well on his way to becoming a much appreciated asset. ‘A Quiet Place‘ is an example of cinema done right and that continues to prove that less is more.
Rating: 8/10
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The Cinema Score 