A Quiet Place

Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cade Woodward, Leon Russom
Directed by: John Krasinski
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Horror, Science Fiction
2018

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A family tries to survive against monsters who react to any sound.

Review:

Tim: I like John Krasinski a lot and really enjoyed his last directorial effort, The Hollars. He showed real brilliance directing that entertaining, funny film. However, I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy his third feature film as a director, the unforgettable A Quiet Place. Horror movies often get a (deservedly) bad rap, but I love when a horror film subverts the expectations on it and emerges as a great movie. We have sadly gotten too few great horror movies over the years, but that is absolutely a distinction I would put on A Quiet Place. This is a great movie.

The premise is simple but powerful. A family tries to survive amidst these mysterious monsters that immediately hunt down any sound they hear. That's such a great premise and it immediately makes you ask so many questions- how could you survive if you had to be silent every second of the day? What unexpected sounds would you make if you were trying desperately to be silent? Could you fashion any kind of life that requires making no sound? How would you raise kids, babies? This movie explores a surprising number of those questions. I loved that aspect of the film.

I have to give Krasinski credit for allowing silence to be so pervasive throughout his film. We don't often think of silence as a device to elevate a film, although the absence of sound has always played an important role in movies. Krasinski uses this to the full extent however, creating a film that almost causes the audience to hold their breath while they watch. It's silly, but I found myself watching quieter than I usually do. That speaks volumes to the effect Krasinski is able to create. When sound does occur in the film, it's a bit startling and your blood pressure starts to rise. That aspect of the film was outstanding and I give Krasinski so much credit for being comfortable with the silence in his film. It's hard to think of another film where sound played as large of a role (The Artist, perhaps?).

I also have to applaud the cast. I love that the film starred Krasinski and his real-life wife, Emily Blunt. Both are talented actors in their own right. They both give great performances. It couldn't have been easy to communicate so much without being able to speak much, or really make any kind of sound. It required a different level of performance and both rose to the occasion. I also loved seeing Noah Jupe here, who has quickly become one of my favorite young actors. He gives a strong performance as well. Millicent Simmonds was fine, but I didn't love her performance. The highest compliment I can give the cast is that I actually cared about their characters- I feared for them and I wanted them to survive their ordeal. It's shocking how few horror films make this happen, but I legitimately felt a strong emotional connection to these characters. That goes a long way to increasing the intensity of the film.

The movie was just so well made. From the cinematography, to the visual look of the monsters- this is a movie that feels like it was made by a director at the top of his game, not someone directing only his third film. I had a blast watching this movie and I was riveted from the opening scene to the final scene.

A Quiet Place is a great movie- it's a stunning achievement for such a young director, especially one who delivers such a strong acting performance as well. I'm a huge fan of this movie and the wide range of emotions it made me feel. This is certainly one of the best horror movies in recent years and one of the best movies of 2018.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Hollars, The Artist, 10 Cloverfield Lane