A Quiet Place is so quiet, I was afraid to munch on my snacks during my viewing. So yes, its trailers were certainly effective.
Emily Blunt and John Krasinski (who also co-wrote and directed) are a married couple with children who inhabit a world that is now overrun with creatures who are extra sensitive to sound and therefore silence is the only survival.
At 90 minutes, A Quiet Place wastes no time dropping us into the gut wrenching world where not even a pin drop may be quiet enough. It’s tense, unsettling and horrifying. The creatures themselves once you finally see them are nasty looking, yet like Jaws the threat of them is all the fear you need.
For communication, the family uses American Sign Language, too not only keep as quiet as possible, but also because the oldest child Regan is deaf (played by actress Millicent Simmons, who is deaf in real life). While dealing with surviving, there is also a great little personal conflict between father and daughter that further strengthens the theme of communication even when you can’t say so.
An element of A Quiet Place that I appreciated was the film’s score by Marco Beltrami. Since the film has thrust you into this world of silence, Beltrami’s score is used to relieve the audience in a way. It takes the edge off because you consciously find yourself limiting the sounds you make. In my viewing, I would hear people try to hold back their coughs. It’s fantastic immersive filmmaking I applaud Krasinski for also wanting to give you a break. And you’ll need it once things start to ratchet up.
A Quiet Place is a nice slice of creative horror that uses the performance of its casts as well as its concept to the maximum and never wastes a second of your time. For this reviewer who is a huge horror movie buff, this is something fun and unique and special.
Final Rating (4/4)
