A Quiet Place - Review
This review of A Quiet Place is spoiler-free!
From the beginning of my life watching movies to this time period 22 years into my life, I've always avoided horror attractions, movies, video games, and any form of media that involves that genre. Up until now, to put it nicely, I was too much of a pansy to force myself into that uncomfortable situation. I knew there were films in theaters that were receiving critical acclaim as horror films such as Get Out and IT, but they weren't even enough to push me out to theaters. What's different now that made me want to go to a theater and experience a horror film? I have this website now! If I were to continue avoiding films in the horror genre, even if they were receiving acclaim, I would be doing a disservice to my readers (yes all 3 of you). So, without any more beating around the bush, let's dive in A Quiet Place!
Directed by office alum and recent popular movie star, John Krasinski, A Quiet Place has a fairly simple premise. The year is 2020, and the Earth has been invaded by creatures that are blind, but extremely powerful at hearing and have predatorial instincts. This story follows the Abbot family, which is filled by Evelyn and Lee, the father and mother; and Regan, Marcus, and Beau, their daughter and two sons respectively. After a tragedy happens at the film's onset, the family deals with the aftermath and life with these terrible beasts all around. A Quiet Place doesn't have an overly deep premise, and I think that works for the best. There's no major undertones and only one or two secondary storylines, but the truth of the matter is that this is a true to power horror film. Krasinski's decision to not let other stories bog down the intensity of the film is a great choice.
For me, there's a lot of great characters in this movie. Nearly every member of the family is a major part of the story, but the true emotional connective tissue of the film comes between the bond between Krasinski's Lee and Millicent Simmonds' Regan. You see Regan is deaf, and living in a world surrounded by silence. She doesn't truly understand the difference but realizes the circumstances. Regan and Lee's relationship throughout the film develops with passion and emotion as you realize Lee's fears for his deaf daughter's future in this world. Krasinski and Simmonds' chemistry is something special. Few people may know this (I had no idea), Millicent is actually deaf in the real world. Seeing the push Krasinski made to cast her in this role helps to show just how much he cared about creating great characters for the film. This movie is elevated by an all around great cast, and there isn't a true weak link among the group.
What makes A Quiet Place such a brilliant and unique horror movie is the commitment to its true premise. The majority of this movie is utter silence, with only a few moments of conversation between members of our leadership group, or music playing. This ability by Krasinski to not let go of the premise and rules of the world is beautiful, and it provides for excellent thrills. During the first half of the film I did feel there were a few unnecessary jump scares pushed together, but after that, the horror and thrill really come into their own. By the end of the film I had my head in my hands in thrill and anxiousness, I was terrified for the characters and locked in by the thrill it provided.
Being my first horror film, I don't really have a history of this genre of films to compare this with. But if there's one thing that I can state for sure with this movie, it's a great thrill, and the terror and anxiety it brings to the audience is much more real than many other films can provide. The commitment to the premise, excluding a few moments late in the movie makes it better as a whole and helps to keep a true tone. For those of you who are like me and terrified of horror films, I believe A Quiet Place could be a great entry point into the genre. It's a shorter film and the majority of the jump scares, that many people fear, occur early on. Just don't bring a drink to the theater, it may end up all over you by the end.
