A Quiet Place

Year: 2018
Director: John Krasinski
Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe


Plot: A family of four try to survive in a world mostly wiped out by alien creatures who hunt by sound.


Review: A Quiet Place has been compared to Don't Breathe as both films share the same hair-raising tension from start to finish. That's pretty much true despite the differing plots of both movies.

John Krasinski directs himself and his spouse Emily Blunt as a couple with two children living in a post-apocalyptic America, a world wiped out by deadly aliens who hunt by sound. The family communicate mostly by sign language and do their best not to make any loud sounds, lest they attract the aliens. It's a strategy that has worked so far, but there is some tension in the family, and with a fifth member about to be born soon, their safety will be sorely tested.

For the most part, Krasinski keeps the story flowing smoothly and the pressure high. The script, by Krasinski, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods involves putting the family in a handful of potentially dangerous situations, usually a quiet scenario that suddenly goes south when an unexpected loud sound occurs (and sometimes expected ones too). It involves a fair bit of jump scares but thankfully, most of them are well earned.

It's important to note that behind the horror element here, there's also a convincing family story to be explored. There is a tragedy at the start of the story, which creates tension between Krasinski and his on screen daughter, played by the excellent Millicent Simmonds. The two actors work very well off one another and deserve plenty of praise. This family element makes the film more than just a simple horror flick.

Krasinski and Blunt, being a real life couple, certainly have an advantage when it comes to portraying parents on screen. While he plays the more pragmatic half, she gets the gentler role, and yet displays a tremendous amount of toughness in the film's third act. Simmonds, who is genuinely deaf in real life, is superb in her role, and Noah Jupe also throws in a solid performance as her brother.

As in most horror flicks, some lapses of logic is bound to occur, and A Quiet Place is no different. Not to worry, there are very few of these occurring here, and not quite enough to spoil your enjoyment overall. The music score is also a bit derivative of Johann Johannsson's work on Sicario, but in hindsight it fits the film well.

In conclusion, A Quiet Place is a great horror thriller for you to check out. (8/10)