When John Krasinski made the transition from acting to directing and writing, he surprised expectant fans by debuting not with a quirky comedy but with a unique and effective horror film, A Quiet Place.
Drawn to the simple idea of a father giving everything to protect his children, the scariness of the film was always secondary to The Office alum.
But what started as a tense little story of a family trying to survive in a world of aliens with an intense desire to maul everything that makes the slightest sound eventually did what most successful films do: It became a big ‘ol series. Despite this, the second film did not lose its intimate and personal nature, and the prequel/, A Quiet Place: Day One, follows suit, much to its benefit.
Those expecting answers to just who these aliens are, how they arrived, and what their life goals are will be disappointed.
Similar to the previous films, Day One focuses on the experiences of everyday people who know just as much as the audience does when the decibel-detesting demons drop.
The narrative never really moves beyond our main character Samira, played wonderfully by Lupita Nyong’o, and her new apocalypse buddy Eric, portrayed by Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn.
By focusing on Samira and her already-tragic story, Day One retains an appealing heart throughout, a factor that would have been very easy to overlook for a film with a much larger budget and body count than its equally effective forbearers.
Day One is a very thrilling experience, especially because director/writer Michael Sarnoski seems to understand two very important things about the horror genre—having a pet in the mix (in this case Frodo the cat and Eric the not-unlike-a-puppy) always raises tensions to bloodcurdling levels, and Lupita Nyong’o has one of the most convincing scared faces in Hollywood.
Similar to its predecessors, the film isn’t exactly scary per se, but is intense and, like A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place: Part II, it requires some suspension of belief simply because of its premise (why aren’t the aliens attracted to the noises that other aliens make, for instance?)
Watching the film in theaters is a particularly unique and enjoyable experience, as there is nothing quite like sitting amongst a group of people who are subconsciously trying to make as little sound as possible lest the illusion being shared be broken.
A Quiet Place: Day One is perfect for popcorn—a fun movie that makes for great summer viewing. Anchored by a simple yet heartwarming story, it is a thriller that thrills.
Fans of the other two films should definitely catch it in theaters before it’s gone.
Try not to worry too much about the cat…I promise that Frodo is more resourceful and capable than most of us would be in that situation.
A Quiet Place: Day One is now playing in theaters.
Article written by TJ Reid
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